Shared prosperity zone?

On the front page of yesterday, Wednesday, this newspaper highlighted the Gibraltar government’s warning to its companies to prepare for the eventuality that an agreement will not be reached in the negotiations between the EU and the UK in relation to the European status of Gibraltar after Brexit. . In fact, Gibraltar has prepared contingency plans in advance in the event of a hard Brexit, establishing in advance the measures and protocols necessary to adapt to this negative eventuality.

The truth is that, even if I am optimistic about the negotiations, and I am, the British political instability generates a lot of uncertainty and concern about the negotiation process and the current provisional nature cannot be prolonged indefinitely. What really catches my attention is the absolute lack of measures by the competent administrations on the Spanish side in the event of a hard Brexit. The referendum on Britain’s exit from the EU took place on 23 June 2016. Since then, a more than reasonable time has elapsed to identify that Campo de Gibraltar is probably one of the territories most directly and indirectly affected by the outcome of the referendum.referendum. The departure from Gibraltar showed the reality of a region heavily dependent on the Gibraltar economy where a large number of cross-border commuters find opportunities, also carrying out their activity with high precariousness and a good number of legal and social problems without date, your needs have been taken seriously. Brexit has publicly shown the enormous shortcomings of a region forgotten by public administrations, with very serious communication problems and obsolete infrastructures. Its status as a doubly cross-border territory gives it a special singularity in which serious structural problems are projected. The strength of the drug trafficking networks contrasts with the weakness of the state presence. Perhaps the Marlaska Special Security Plan was the only relatively useful, but utterly ineffective measure if it crashed due to the irresponsible neglect of the Junta de Andalucía in relation to the embarrassing justice situation in the area. Without a strategic plan that, together with security, establishes social and educational measures and opportunities to generate development, the entire security plan will ultimately be ineffective. When I also hear Minister Albares speak of a “zone of shared prosperity” I wonder if, in addition to a nice rhetorical device, there is something behind it. I’m afraid, I think I guess the answer.