Gibraltar goads Spain with four-word warning shot as tensions threaten to erupt

Fabian Picardo's Gibraltarian Government does not mince its words on British sovereignty (Image: GETTY)

The Gibraltarian Government, led by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, has slapped down Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares following controversial comments that have reignited tensions over the Rock's sovereignty.

And it has stressed that whatever happens in the future, “no amount of diplomatic bluster” will stop its waters from being British.

The robust response reasserted the Rock’s right to self-determination, dismissing any suggestion to the contrary as political posturing.

This latest diplomatic spat was sparked by a letter from Mr Albares to Spanish environmental group Verdemar-Ecologistas en Accion, in which he urged the Junta de Andalucia to take “robust environmental measures” against the export of rocks for construction projects in Gibraltar.

He claimed that these activities violated EU-derived environmental regulations and impinged on Spain’s territorial integrity - assertions which Gibraltar’s government categorically rejected.

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A consequent statement issued by No.6 Convent Place, the seat of the Gibraltar government and shared with the Gibraltar Chronicle, was swift and direct.

It said: “Our waters are British. That is a fact that no amount of diplomatic bluster will change."

The letter emphasised that international law and historical treaties support this position and reiterated that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides for a three-mile territorial sea for every coastal state, with a potential extension to 12 miles where geography allows.

The letter continued: “In the case of Gibraltar, this means three miles to the east and south, and the median line in the Bay of Gibraltar, although the UK is entitled to claim up to 12 miles where possible,” the statement read.

Jose Manuel Albares, Spain's Foreign Minister (Image: Getty)

The Gibraltar Government dismissed Spain’s official stance as baseless, citing previous EU investigations that upheld Gibraltar’s environmental practices and compliance with EU law.

It further rejected Spain’s longstanding objections as “a totally unacceptable and aggressive act” first enacted years ago when Spain designated a conservation site which overlapped British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

The letter declared: “This designation was an attempt to challenge British sovereignty but has no bearing in law."

The Government further referenced a paper by Jose Antonio de Yturriaga, a former top legal adviser to the Spanish Foreign Ministry, who had admitted upon retirement that Madrid’s claim to Gibraltar’s territorial waters was “weak and had no legal basis”

The Rock has been in British hands for more than 300 years (Image: Getty)

Mr Picardo’s administration also highlighted the economic benefits Gibraltar brings to the region, asserting that projects such as Eastside, a construction project aimed at modernising the eastern part of the British overseas territory, contributed significantly to Spain’s economy.

It continued: “The development will generate millions - if not billions - of euros in Spain, particularly in Andalucía, through the purchase of goods and materials, as well as employment for hundreds of people both during construction and once it is operational..

“More than one person should understand that this is part of the positive economic contribution which Gibraltar continues to make to the Spanish economy.”

The Government also condemned what it described as Albares’ “ill-informed bluster,” noting that his stance conflicted with both Spain’s Interior Ministry and the Junta de Andalucía.

The Interior Ministry had confirmed last August that there were no recorded irregularities in the transit of aggregates to Gibraltar, with over 2,500 truckloads legally transported between 2020 and 2024.

Reinforcing Gibraltar’s commitment to environmental protection, the letter stressed that the territory adheres to “higher international standards than those applicable in Spain itself,” particularly concerning land reclamation and transboundary environmental impacts.

It added: “We have always acted within international norms, unlike some projects on the Spanish side of the Bay, where a lack of consultation has negatively affected the coastline of both Gibraltar and La Linea during winter storms

“It is odd that Madrid seeks to resurrect this matter now, after it has been done and dusted from an EU perspective for over 20 years.

“Spain’s continued focus on this issue appears politically motivated rather than grounded in genuine environmental concern.”