The United Kingdom transferred nearly 600 “incursions” around Gibraltar to Spain over the past year

The United Kingdom has conveyed to the Spanish government its protest of the approximately 600 “incidents” relating to water and airspace bordering Gibraltar claimed by The Rock and which Spain considers its property under the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713.

In total, since 2011, there have been more than 4,500 complaints of this type of event, according to the government in a parliamentary response to a question formulated by EH Bildu’s deputy, Jon Iñarritu, concerned with complaints lodged by “military or police incursions into the land or airspace.” Or the maritime claimed by Gibraltar. “

In this sense, the government asserts in its response, which Europa Press was able to reach, that “Spain does not recognize the rights and other cases of the United Kingdom relating to the areas of Gibraltar not included in Article X of the Treaty of Utrecht. 1713,” which “does not include the airspace over the colony. , Or any territorial sea or the isthmus that connects the rock and the peninsula. “

“The Spanish government has no doubt about limits Spanish territory, therefore, it is not possible at any time to speak of “incursions”, Iñárritu explained in the answer, stressing that “Spanish ships and aircraft carry out their duties in Spanish waters and in Spanish territorial airspace, respectively, without this having been done. It was cited until very recently as the reason for “alleged” incursions.

London talks about the raids. In this sense, the government clarifies that “the United Kingdom refers to these events as“ incursions ”or, at least,“ accidents ”, while for Spain, in most cases, they are merely“ incidents ”that occur when exercising powers over maritime areas under Spanish sovereignty. “.

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In addition, the response states that “diplomatic dialogue and the formulation of protests are taking place between Spain and the United Kingdom, which is the authority administering the territory of Gibraltar in accordance with the principle of the United Nations,” without the powers of the Rock having the power to formulate “claims of territorial sovereignty over these spaces”.

Thus, at Iniarreto’s request, the government clarified that as of the end of February, when the question was formulated, four British notes verbales relating to 69 incidents had been received through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation.

Complaint data. During 2020, according to the response, 34 notes verbales were received from the British government for a total of 598 incidents: 535 due to the presence of Spanish state ships in the waters adjacent to the rock and 63 due to the presence of Spanish state aircraft in the airspace over Gibraltar.

Since 2011, according to accounts provided by the government, the United Kingdom has complained of more than 4,500 such incidents, and 2018 was the year with the most complaints, at 670, while there were only nine in 2011. However, The year in which most of the oral notes of protest were received is 2014, when 76 complaints were registered, although 418 complaints were transferred.

The data of “incidents” recorded in 2020 and collected by the government in its parliamentary response contradicts those provided last February by the Strategic Command of the British Armed Forces, which reported 830 “incursions”.

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Among these flights, according to what was reported by the British media at the time, there were 37 overflights of the Spanish Air Force through the airspace that London claims to follow, and 27 storming of naval ships, while the rest of the “incursions” were carried out. Implemented by the Civil Guard or the Customs Department. (Europe Press).

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