Follow Spain Immigration and Spanish Current Affairs: The dispute between Spain and the United Kingdom over the Strait of Gibraltar continues to escalate, with both sides locked in a stalemate. The European Union has dispatched commissioners to the Strait of Gibraltar to conduct inspections and oversight. This week in New York, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, taking advantage of his visit to the United Nations, explicitly classified Gibraltar as a "tax haven."
The dispute over Gibraltar has been ongoing for nearly two months. Although Spain will not enter the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, Gibraltar's daily necessities and infrastructure are entirely dependent on Spain. At the border crossing, as long as Spain strengthens its controls, it can isolate Gibraltar from the peninsula. The Spanish government even once imposed a 50-euro toll on vehicles entering and exiting, which would impose high costs on residents who commute across the border daily.
After much contention, other direct punitive measures cannot be carried out openly. Therefore, Spain has focused on Gibraltar's residents and businesses, labeling it a tax haven because they pay taxes in Gibraltar while earning money in Spain.
At the same time, Gibraltar has also become a major smuggling route into the European continent. This is also the primary reason for Spain to strengthen its control over border crossings!
Rajoy's statement at the United Nations caused great dissatisfaction among British representatives, though there has been no response from the British side as of yet.
During this trip to the United Nations, attacking Gibraltar was only a minor task for Rajoy. His primary mission was to secure a seat for Spain on the United Nations Security Council. Spain is a major global power in counter-terrorism, and its support is also significant for the troops stationed in Afghanistan.