‘We all have to change psychologically,’ Picardo says of treaty implementation

The “psychology” of communities on either side of the border was scarred in different ways by the closure of the border, but the treaty offers an opportunity to change that mindset, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said.

Mr Picardo was speaking last Thursday on ‘La Noche en 24 Horas’, Spanish state broadcaster RTVE’s flagship current affairs programme.

He was responding during to exchanges during a discussion with five journalists on Gibraltar and the treaty.

One of the journalists, Marta Nebot, reflected on how Spaniards had ‘Gibraltar español’ “tattooed somewhere in our brains” but that, if Gibraltarians had democratically rejected any sovereignty change, that idea is “condemned to melancholy”.

As he did earlier on Thursday morning during a briefing at the Forum Europa, Mr Picardo first dismissed the idea that Spain could have extracted sovereignty concessions in the treaty negotiation.

“There would not have been a treaty if an attempt had been made to make sovereignty part of it,” he said.

“But the psychology of Spaniards, like the psychology of Gibraltarians, is marked by what a dictator [Genera; Franco] did.”

“Look, the Government of Spain and the majority of Spaniards do not think that the dictator Franco was a good international diplomat, or that what he did should be appreciated.”

“And yet he managed to brainwash many…well, 40 million people, so that the majority have that psychological trait of ‘Gibraltar español’.”

“And it marked us too,” he added.

“When we see a Policia Nacional officer or a Guardia Civil officer, we see the instrument of that border closure, and not a person who is there to help us if we have a problem with road safety or whatever it may be.”

“We all have to change psychologically.”

“We have to take the step that José Manuel and I have taken - setting an example, I hope - by saying ‘that is the past, let us look to the future’, and let us reserve our positions on that [sovereignty] issue, but let us look toward coexistence, coordination and the future, working together to create wealth for this area.”

Mr Picardo was asked too whether he believed it possible that, in an undetermined future point, an agreement could be reached to share Gibraltar’s sovereignty between the UK and Spain.

“I don’t think so,” he replied.

“I don’t think Gibraltarians would accept it.”

“I don’t think it would be a good deal for either Spain or the United Kingdom. And certainly not for Gibraltarians.”

“And I believe the opportunity to create shared prosperity in the area comes precisely because Gibraltar is not Spain, because Gibraltar is part of the United Kingdom, with a very advanced relationship of self-government with the United Kingdom, with a Constitution that gives us full rights in everything in Gibraltar except defence and external relations, even though I spend most of my time dealing with external relations.”

“The truth is that I think we have to move a little beyond this question of why we do not reach the point at which sovereignty is transferred, and so on.”

He said differences on sovereignty had been set out in one article in a treaty running to over 1000 pages, with each side’s position protected and respected.

The other pages, he added, created a framework to work together for mutual benefit.

“There are centuries of work we can do there, centuries of opportunities to create wealth for the people who live in the area,” he added.

“And the truth is that we are going to try to do that, because in 300 years the sovereignty issue has not moved forward one iota, and it is not going to move forward.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Picardo was also asked whether he saw a situation in which Brexit could be reversed in the short or medium term.

In the morning briefing, Mr Picardo had flagged the Gibraltar treaty as offering a potential “route map” for closer cooperation between the UK and the EU.

“My voice has been consistent from the very beginning, and 96% of Gibraltarians said Brexit was bad even back in 2016,” he said.

“Yesterday’s Guardian [newspaper] said that more than 50% of Britons now want Brexit to be reversed.”

“I ask the Labour Party in the United Kingdom to have the courage - because we know that is what they think - to have the courage to offer the British public, the British electorate, an opportunity to take the step of reversing Brexit.”

“If not by rejoining the Union fully, then by seeking a much closer relationship with the European Union, whether or not that means being members of the EEA.”