The European Dream or Was it a Nightmare?

Johnson said Brexit is “not an end but a beginning” and described severing ties with the other 27 EU nations as “a moment of real national renewal and change”. Little will change immediately, as the UK begins a “transition period” he said.

As we know, most EU laws have continued to be in force, including the free movement of people until the end of December, by which time, the UK aims to have reached a permanent free trade agreement with the EU. Don’t hold your breath for too long on the latter comment?

But since the start of the year, the world has had to grapple with the Covid pandemic that already has taken the lives of over 600,000 souls also decimating whole continents.

Redrawing Post Covid Line - Who Will Prosper Who Will Suffer?

As witnessed, over the last few months, Governments around the world have had little option but to begin to reopen their borders in efforts to revive economies. Nations have also had to redraw the lines between who will prosper, who will suffer and, in some cases, who will die!

Gibraltar, has been no different, nowhere near the extreme levels as in some countries. But post-Covid lines have also been drawn locally in efforts to revive our economy, with elements of who will prosper and who won’t, being evident, if one looks hard enough?

Again, from a local perspective, Covid also brought heightened visibility to our own border practices, with the pandemic intensifying decisions between economic and social life. Although there were restrictions, particularly, during the worse period of the pandemic from a social perspective, the economic element was maintained and things returned to normal as the stages of the virus went through all the winding down lockdown gears!

I do have to say, that even with assurances that “holidays are back,” we daily hear of new virus cases emerging in Spain and back in the UK and in many other countries. Any why going on holiday, kind of rings hollow as far as I am concerned.

Increasingly Pessimistic of a Brexit Gibraltar With so Many Spanish Attachments

With Gibraltar, UK and Spain attempts to find a solid workable and prosperous future for the region after the 31 December and the official disconnection with the EU kicks in. I am regularly left wondering how many ‘strings will Gibraltar have attached’ to the EU and Spain, as the UK rides into a new EU free sunset, with Gibraltar not quite by its side. Which is the most likely scenario as current Brexit negotiations stands now?

I am concerned, that all those post Brexit Spanish attachments or strings can be quickly ‘snipped away’ should the situation go pear shape with our neighbour or the Spanish central Government. Be it the present government in Madrid or another that follows who may revert or retreat into their traditional ‘Gibraltar fall-back position’ something we have witnessed throughout our history and the long arduous slog with our neighbour.

In my opinion, the latter point, could well be the most like outcome, should there be a Spanish election (which is highly probable) considering, not only the current political mess but also the constitutional ‘shxt-storm’ with the Spanish Monarchy which is serious situation.

MORE IN PANORAMA PRINT EDITION

22-07-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR