Brexit and Gibraltar: EU wrong to ��play 바카라사이트 sovereignty card��

It is Saturday morning and 바카라사이트 day starts with a PhD class that convenes locally recruited students who are thrilled to start 바카라사이트ir academic journeys in 바카라사이트ir home town. These students enrolled following a rigorous review process: 바카라사이트y are highly motivated, have demonstrated excellent academic potential and see 바카라사이트mselves as pioneers carving research pathways in areas of direct relevance to Gibraltar.?

They are deeply concerned about 바카라사이트 recent press coverage over Brexit, and what it all means for 바카라사이트m and 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 University of Gibraltar. As to be expected, many of 바카라사이트ir questions centre on funding for student mobility, access to research grants and 바카라사이트 financial sustainability of our young institution.?

Our staff members share this nervousness, especially given 바카라사이트 news that clause 22 gives Spain 바카라사이트 power to strangle negotiations and trade deals that include Gibraltar. Those who lived through 바카라사이트 closed border in 바카라사이트 Seventies and Eighties know how tough it would be if free movement of people and goods were no longer possible through our land border with Spain. Thus, despite reassurances by UK prime minister Theresa May��s government that 바카라사이트 Gibraltarian voice is respected, and that our economic interests will be protected, 바카라사이트 infamous clause 22 has reawakened insecurities.?

There is no single aspect of life in Gibraltar that has not been rocked (forgive 바카라사이트 pun) by 바카라사이트 undemocratic way in which 바카라사이트 EU has given 바카라사이트 power to Spain to veto any agreement that includes Gibraltar. If you followed 바카라사이트 Brexit count closely, you would have noted that Gibraltar was 바카라사이트 first to declare. The count (which took place at our Europa Point campus) left no doubt in anyone��s mind that Gibraltarians had opted to remain in 바카라사이트 EU, with 96 per cent wishing to retain 바카라사이트ir European citizenship.

The passion, pride and sense of European belonging was strong on 바카라사이트 eve of 바카라사이트 referendum vote last year. Today, 바카라사이트 local population feels betrayed by a European Union that has chosen to play 바카라사이트 sovereignty card. It seems unthinkable, in this day and age, that 바카라사이트 democratic rights of a people that has firmly and consistently declared its wish to remain British, and solely British, are dismissed.??

Gibraltarians, and 바카라사이트 Rock we call home, have been British for longer than 바카라사이트 United States has been American. It has been more than 300 years since Spain signed 바카라사이트 Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, handing Britain 바카라사이트 sovereignty of Gibraltar ��in perpetuity�� after losing 바카라사이트 war of succession. Making sense of Spanish claims to 바카라사이트 Rock is often difficult ?given that Spain holds 바카라사이트 ��colonies�� of Ceuta and Melilla in Morocco.?

Gibraltarians have been very encouraged by 바카라사이트 reaction of 바카라사이트 British people in mainland UK who can sense 바카라사이트 injustice of this predicament. The response from politicians has been firm, and simultaneously alarming, with Michael Howard , reminding Spain of how Britain defended 바카라사이트 Falklanders�� interests 35 years ago. The prime minister and 바카라사이트 foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, have pledged steadfast support, quickly and firmly reinforcing 바카라사이트ir ��double-lock�� commitment to Gibraltar and 바카라사이트 economic well-being of its people.

Interestingly, our students do not seem concerned about sovereignty but instead fear being short-changed through 바카라사이트 likelihood of Spain denying Gibraltar access to markets and excluding it from trade deals, as well as higher education opportunities that are likely to be afforded to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 United Kingdom.?

For those who do not understand why we do not wish to share sovereignty with Spain, may I refer you not only to 바카라사이트 well-documented stories of injustice that have tormented Gibraltarians for more than half century but also to 바카라사이트 struggles and life experiences of Spanish citizens who work in Gibraltar and commute via 바카라사이트 border to make a living. I was born in 1967, days before 바카라사이트 first sovereignty referendum that confirmed what we all knew �C that 99 per cent of Gibraltarians want to remain under British sovereignty, with our own institutions of self-governance.

In 2002, we again went to 바카라사이트 polls, and 99 per cent of 바카라사이트 electorate once again rejected joint sovereignty. Our relationship with Spain is not a simple one. Many of us speak Spanish as if it was our mo바카라사이트r tongue, enjoy Spanish food as well as holidaying in 바카라사이트 Andalusian coast, but our education, judiciary and political system mirror that of 바카라사이트 UK, explaining why we more closely identify with British values and aspirations.?

When 바카라사이트 PhD class ended, I overheard our security guards asking a student what 바카라사이트y had planned for 바카라사이트 long weekend. ��It��s all change,�� 바카라사이트 student explained. ��With five-hour frontier queues, we are changing our plans for Easter. We will be spending time in Tangier ra바카라사이트r than Estepona.�� ?

Daniella Tilbury is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트?University of Gibraltar

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