Mayor of La Línea: ‘We’ve been on the edge of a precipice’

By Maria Jesus Corrales

The mayor of La Línea, Juan Franco, stated that “today is a historic day” following announcement of a political agreement on a UK/EU treaty for Gibraltar.

“We’ve been on the edge of the precipice,” he said, speaking to reporters at the border.

“The first and most important issue we had - the border or ‘Verja’ - seems to be resolved.”

“The more than 15,000 workers, 11,000 of them from La Línea, will be able to continue going to their jobs, at least for now, without any complications.”

“So, the relief we feel with this news is immense.”

He expects the same relief for businesses in La Línea, who depend on Gibraltar for around a third of their revenue.

“We could have faced an economic standstill if, for example, people from Gibraltar were no longer able to come here to shop,” he said.

“In that case, unemployment rates would have skyrocketed.”

Mr Franco described Brexit as “one of the most critical moments” the city has experienced since 1969, when the border was closed by General Franco.

It was “something we've been living through in slow motion” until the agreement was finally announced, he said.

But Mr Franco called for more information, support and clarity on the negotiated terms.

“We would also like to see the details” and have clarity on “environmental issues; tax matters; and the announced fund for investments.

“We have reasons to be optimistic, but we need to see the fine print,” he said.

And he had concerns too, noting the urban development plan just published by his city council was based on having a border, with population growth forecasts based on demographic projections that factored that in.

“What will happen now?” he asked.

One of his concerns is the potential increase in housing prices in the city and whether any treaty will require the fairground site adjacent to the airport.

“There are still many unanswered questions,” he added.

He reiterated that “if there’s one Spanish municipality affected 90% by this agreement, it’s La Línea de la Concepción.”

“But if we’re treated the same as the rest of the Campo de Gibraltar, we could be facing a repetition of the 1969 situation, though on a different scale.”

“We need differentiated treatment, and we’ve been advocating for it since 2015, when we took office at the City Hall.”

He also called for “specific” solutions for La Línea’s unique challenges, such as social issues affecting cross-border workers.