EU air disability moves against Gib "wholly unacceptable"

Felix Alvarez, Chairman of Equality Rights group GGR, has reacted to news of an EU air measures Regulation to come into law this Summer and which allows that provision for disabled air passengers contained in that law be disregarded as far as Gibraltar is concerned, by saying that “this is wholly unacceptable from all points of view, whether moral, legal or political.”

“As Chairman of a human and equality rights organisation in Gibraltar I am not willing to stand idly by and simply watch this happen. Gibraltarians must demand their rights whether at the level of the EU, Westminster or Convent Place – and that is the whole meaning of democracy! This particular issue affects the welfare and dignity of an important section of Gibraltarian and other travellers, namely the disabled, and it cannot be right for Member States to play politics with issues of this sort. I have gathered together members of my Executive in order to study and decide what sort of action we might be able to take in defence of disabled Gibraltarians’ rights and we will announce this in due course. What cannot be on the cards is for us to simply do nothing about this. Nor, indeed, to remain silent where the Gibraltar Government fails to support and listen to the needs of its own citizens! Our commitment is to progress for Gibraltar wherever it may be and whoever we may need to take on!”