GSD 'sides with Spain' on tax treaty and 'undermines Gibraltar', Govt says

The GSD was accused last night of "undermining" the Chief Minister's speech to the UN this week and of "shaking the credibility" of the Gibraltar Government's work on Brexit.

In a stern statement, No.6 Convent Place said the Opposition's "opportunistic attempts to undermine" the government risked bringing instability to the Rock's economy.

No.6 was reacting after the GSD accused the Chief Minister of "spin and delusion" after he told the UN Committee of 24 that Spain, in the tax treaty, had recognised the legal status of the Gibraltarian, as well as Gibraltar's institutions of government.

The GSD insisted that the tax treaty handed sovereignty concessions to Spain and that the Chief Minister was mistaken in his analysis to the UN.

But the government dismissed that argument and said the tax treaty recognised Gibraltar's tax sovereignty and its right to a "separate and distinct tax" system, adding: "It cannot be otherwise."

According to No.6, this was a reversal of Spain's longstanding strategy of challenging the legitimacy of Gibraltar's tax system at every possible opportunity and in every forum.

“I am disappointed the Opposition have sought to discredit my defence of Gibraltar at the UN," Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said in response.
"They are, as ever, playing into Spanish hands."

"I am looking forward to the debate on the tax treaty just as I relished the budget debate last week."

"The GSD are at worst lying about the tax treaty or at best drawing incorrect conclusions based once again on incomplete homework."

"As we saw last week in the Budget debate, people should not draw conclusions based on the GSD’s totally flawed logic."

"The GSD are the party that entered into the Cordoba Agreement which allows Spanish law enforcement control over the movement of Gibraltarians on the isthmus."

"The GSD are the party that did an illegal agreement for Spaniards to fish in our waters in breach of our laws."

"The GSD are the party that were prepared to take out the artificial reef we had properly created."

"The GSD are not going to teach us in the GSLP Liberals how to defend Gibraltar’s sovereignty at every level. We know we have done so and that the GSD are lying to try to scare people into voting for them."

"It won’t work. People here are too clever to be taken in by their lies."

"But they will see that the GSD is letting Gibraltar down in our international fight for self-determination by publicly taking issue with a key plank of the logic of my address to the United Nations."

"In fact, the GSD are taking Spain’s side on this issue. That is unforgiveable and people will neither forget nor will they forgive them.”

Pic by Johnny Bugeja