European Commission Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, together with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo, met in Brussels earlier today.
The Minister for the Environment, Dr John Cortes, is delighted to announce the first publication on litter, and waste information, to go to every household on the Rock. He said, “This has been a collaborative effort by the ESG and Litter Committee members and funded by Government. We have been pleased to support this project because we agree that knowledge can affect change".
The leaflet will be delivered to AquaGib's 17,000 customers with June's bill: Mr Cano, Managing Director at AquaGib stressed: "Here at AquaGib, we are committed to supporting the Government in their efforts at greening up Gibraltar and are pleased to make this leaflet with practical, environmental information available to our customers." Additionally, AquaGib will also be sending an electronic copy of the leaflet to several thousand clients using their online service.
The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, has written to Sr Cristobal Montoro, the Spanish Minister for Hacienda, challenging him to work with the Government of Gibraltar to ensure that there is no Spanish tax evasion money in Gibraltar.
The five page letter sets out why Gibraltar is objectively considered to a "benchmark" jurisdiction in the international financial services sector and highlighting what the relevant "gateways" for access to information on individuals who are suspected to be involved in tax evasion.
Mr Picardo highlights a Europa Press article of 22 April 2013 where, in a clear reference to Gibraltar, Mr Montoro is quoted as saying that “a Europe that fights against tax evasion cannot allow itself to have tax havens”. Mr Montoro was commenting on an article which appeared in El Pais on the same day which was very critical of alleged tax practices in Gibraltar and in which it was stated that his Ministry had set up a working group to “tighten the noose” around Gibraltar’s neck and to suppress the evasion of hundreds of millions of euros of Spanish taxes to, or through, Gibraltar.
Mr Picardo tells Mr Montoro that his depiction of Gibraltar as a place for tax evasion for Spanish residents has come as a great disappointment to HMGoG as are the attacks by members of the Government of the Kingdom of Spain on Gibraltar for alleged tax evasion, lack of transparency on tax matters, poor regulation and money laundering, all of which are wholly unfounded. Mr Picardo tells Mr Montoro that it seems as if Spain is oblivious to the very considerable steps that Gibraltar has taken over the last 20 years to comply with EU and international requirements in all these areas.
Gibraltar’s first ever fringe festival opens this Thursday and will see four days of performances and workshops by local and visiting performers, like never before brought together on the Rock, coinciding with the festive mood of the Calentita weekend.
Performances open at the Alameda Open Air Theatre on Thursday, and run through till Sunday. There are performances for all tastes, by local and visiting artistes. They will include classical guitar, piano, music and projected experiences, clowns (including the popular “Bombero”), dance (including Gibraltar’s own Danza Academy and Japanese Butoh Dance), dance drama as well as a performance by Metro Hotel and the release of a folk rock album by Gareth Owen.
The Minister for the Environment, Dr John Cortes, is delighted to announce the first publication on litter, and waste information, to go to every household on the Rock. He said, “This has been a collaborative effort by the ESG and Litter Committee members and funded by Government. We have been pleased to support this project because we agree that knowledge can affect change".
The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, has written to Sr Cristobal Montoro, the Spanish Minister for Hacienda, challenging him to work with the Government of Gibraltar to ensure that there is no Spanish tax evasion money in Gibraltar.
Media – Police Reports
Gibraltar’s first ever fringe festival opens this Thursday and will see four days of performances and workshops by local and visiting performers, like never before brought together on the Rock, coinciding with the festive mood of the Calentita weekend.
