Mayors in Spanish municipalities near Gibraltar demand update on border deal progress

There is much expectation in the Campo de Gibraltar, the area immediately across the border from Gibraltar, over the implementation of the UK/EU deal to remove controls reached in June. Excitement rose and more questions came this week when some Spanish media reported that the border could finally be axed as early as January next year and that more announcements could be made next week when the Spanish and British prime ministers meet in London.

The mayor of La Línea, Juan Franco, welcomed the reports as "good news" although he regretted that "beyond the meetings held in June" with Spain's minister of foreign affairs, José Manuel Albares, there had been no news on the matter.

The mayor of Algeciras, José Ignacio Landaluce, has also spoken out about those reports. "Nobody is giving us accurate information about what is being discussed" in negotiations that affect the interests of the Rock and the Spanish people because "this goes beyond whether or not a border fence is removed".