The Diplomat
The Government of Gibraltar announced yesterday the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of general elections for next October 12.
The House has been dissolved since yesterday and the elections will be held a month later, on October 12, as stipulated in the Constitution of Gibraltar, as reported by the Office of the Governor, Sir David Steel, in a press release.
For his part, the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, issued a statement to announce the dissolution of Parliament and the call for elections, decided yesterday during an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, and to take stock of the last four years, which “have been, without doubt, the toughest four years this community has ever faced “, with special mention of the COVID-19 pandemic and the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU.
“We have done everything in our power to defend Gibraltar’s interests through Brexit” and, “our work on the Withdrawal Agreement ensured we have avoided the hardest Brexit” and “has ensured that we have been able to avoid the worst of the negative implications leaving the EU could have had on Gibraltar”, he assured.
“We are in advanced discussions with officials from the EU, Spain and the U.K.,” Picardo stated. “We are on the cusp of a historic deal in which all parties will win and none will lose,” he continued.
“For me, and the GSLP Liberal team that I have led for 12 years, a deal can only be done if it respects the red lines we hold dear,” the chief minister warned. “British sovereignty over the whole of Gibraltar is not up for sale in exchange for any deal” and, therefore, “however sweet the carrot or hard the stick, my answer will never change,” he added.
