The Motril, road-haulage company, Comotrans, which is one of the most important such companies in Spain, has been caught up in the French/Catalan border troubles.

The radical, pro-independence movement, Tsunami Democràtic has blocked this main trade artery for the last 24 hours at the Junquera border crossing. At the moment their are four lorries belonging to the Motril road-haulage cooperative stuck fast, carrying perishable veg and fruit from the Costa Tropical farmers.

There were some 2,000 demonstrators around 08.00h yesterday morning but the French had no qualms about sending in the riot police from the Gendarmería and the Police Nationale on their side of the border. In response the protestors claimed that the French police were “an occupation force.”

Meanwhile the Catalan police on their side of the border have taken no action against the border blockage.

The Transport and Logistics Manager for Comotrans said, “Not only should the cargos have been unloaded in Perpignan market today [yesterday] but they also should have picked up another cargo in Barcelona and Gerona and if we miss those, our losses will be considerable.”

Another Granada-based road-haulage company affected is  LanjaTrans, which has 15 trailers tied up at the frontier.

Their Spokesperson explained, “we’re trying to reroute our lorries via Irún (Basque frontier crossing) but the extra millage will increase our costs.” This company is presently hauling paper, industrial reels, plastic, foodstuffs and steel to different destination in Europe and thence pick up goods to be brought down.

The Mayor of Motril, Luisa María García Chamorro, has sent a message of support to Comotrans via social media.

Editorial comment: Quite how the French police acting on French soil could be construed as a Catalán occupation force requires some mental gymnastics, perhaps.

(News: Motril/Lanjaron, Costa Tropical/Alpujarra, Granada, Andalucia