The mayor of La Línea de la Concepción has called a march for October 25, with the aim of demanding greater attention from the administrations towards the situation of the municipality, especially in the face of the effects of Brexit. The march, which will begin in Plaza Fariñas at 8:00 p.m. and will end at the border with Gibraltar, will include the reading of a manifesto at the end of the route.
Juan Franco, mayor of La Línea de la Concepción, has expressed his discontent with the lack of concrete responses from the authorities after the Brexit referendum eight years ago. Franco stated that “we have been complaining in the desert for eight years” and questioned the reason for the inaction: “What are we waiting for?” The mayor requests the massive participation of all local groups, including brotherhoods, sports clubs, neighborhood associations and other social groups.
The mayor maintains that the city faces a unique situation in Europe due to its proximity to Gibraltar and that, although he has proposed solutions that comply with the Spanish Constitution, he has only received “the silence” in response. Juan Franco also referred to the fact that the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union allows state aid for economically depressed areas, a possibility that he considers relevant for La Línea, but which, so far, has only received “good words” in its requests. to the authorities in Madrid.
On the morning of the announcement, the mayor highlighted an incident at the border that lasted for an hour, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., in which a traffic jam of vehicles and people occurred. According to Franco, it was a worrying sign of what could happen if an agreement is not reached between Spain and the United Kingdom on the future of Gibraltar, as there was even a sit-in by workers in protest. In his opinion, the situation is alarming and is an indication of what could happen if measures are not taken before November 10, when Schengen border controls should have been implemented, although their start has been postponed without a specific date.
Given the uncertainty about future Schengen controls, Franco has recommended residents prepare with their passport. He also recalled that around 15,000 people work in Gibraltar, of which 11,000 live in La Línea, which represents an important sector of the municipality’s active population. “Of every three people of working age, one is in La Línea or its surroundings, another in Gibraltar and the third is unemployed,” he mentioned, warning about the impact that a failed agreement could have on the local economy.
Franco highlighted the urgency of specific plans for La Línea that address high unemployment and economic vulnerability, mentioning problems such as lack of infrastructure, the need for a special tax regime and the threat of illegal activities such as drug trafficking. According to him, “we have a significant volume of population that does not see joining the labor market as a feasible alternative because we have 30% unemployment.”
In reference to other municipalities, Franco complained that the situation in La Línea should not be treated in the same way as in the rest of the Campo de Gibraltar. He stated that the problems of La Línea differ from those of places like Algeciras or Los Barrios, and that they should not be diluted in discussions about the port of Algeciras or the steel industry in other areas. With this march, Franco hopes to raise awareness among authorities and the population about the unique challenges facing La Línea de la Concepción, which he considers crucial for the future of the city and its inhabitants.
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