Brexit row erupts over Gibraltar as Spain makes fresh demands in negotiations

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stressed the significance of incorporating the infrastructure into the agreement.

Albares believes the airport is significant for the local population, tourism, and international relations.

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He also expressed concern about its otherwise counterproductive exclusion as discussions unfold in London this week.

Albares argued that it would be "absurd" for Spanish and other EU airlines to be unable to use the Gibraltar airport.

He said: "What sense would it make to leave out an element as beneficial to the population as the airport?

“I think it is a step forward that flights can come from Spanish airports and from other European countries to promote tourism and relations."

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Albares cautioned that the outcome is not solely within his control.

During a meeting with Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron last month, Albares highlighted the urgency of reaching a pact on Gibraltar before the upcoming EU elections next year.

The demand for shared airport use introduces a new layer of complexity to the negotiations.

The latest Brexit dispute between Spain and the UK comes as the world closely monitors cross-Channel relations.

There have been broader discussions on Gibraltar’s post-Brexit future since the UK voted to leave the bloc in 2016.

Albares believes that incorporating the airport as a shared facility would be practical.

He also hopes it will provide a positive contribution to the region’s economic and diplomatic ties.

Questions about Spain’s claim to the Rock’s airport started earlier this year, with officials in Madrid proposing similar measures in June.

Vice-Admiral Sir David Steel, the Governor of Gibraltar, said at the time: “The Spanish have asked for a regulatory framework over the management of the airport which implies Spanish jurisdiction, which is not something that Gibraltar can tolerate.”

He added: “In the New Year’s Eve Framework Agreement of 2020, the issue of sovereignty was put aside. Now Spain has reintroduced it.”