See pages 5, 6 and 7
Maddie alibi trashed GERMAN police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have found traces of her in a vehicle driven by the prime suspect Christian Brueckner. A Portuguese investigator has revealed that it is one of many different clues that point the finger directly at the convicted sex offender. Journalist Sandra Felgueiras announced the discovery on prime time Portuguese television. “I am certain Brueckner did it and the Portuguese police know he worked with an accomplice,” she told the Olive Press. Her SABADO investigation on the CMTV channel managed to establish that the main evidence is a ‘trace of the English girl found by German police inside the motorhome he drove in 2007’.
Traces
Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters refused to confirm or deny this week that a DNA link had been discovered in the VW van. However, he may have also been driving a large Winnebago - the first of two - that he acquired around the time. And he was also driving a dark Jaguar. It’s not clear at this stage exactly what traces of Maddie were found in which vehicle. Neither Wolters or Felgueiras would be drawn further on it, today. But, he explained to Felgueiras - who has been investigating the case since May 2007 - that he could not confirm it ‘because the suspect has not yet been informed’. The infamous yellow and white van was part of the original appeal put out in a bombshell German police appeal in June 2020. It was photographed parked alongContinues on Page 5
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Vol. 6 Issue 172
www.theolivepress.es
May 4th - May 17th 2022
Confusion as Brits fall foul of beefed up Spanish border rules crossing MORE testimonials given to the Olive Press suggest border guards in Spain are now imposing increasingly strict rules for entry - without publicly advertising to travelers. On Wednesday, Joanne Franks from Berkshire, flew into Gibraltar from the UK to spend a week at her Casares retreat. When she arrived, she was told she had to provide proof that she owned property in Spain in order to cross. She hastily managed to retrieve an email that proved she owned her Casares property. “I didn’t know that you now have to show proof that you own a property in Spain or show evidence of a hotel or apartment reservation along with a return flight,” Franks told the Olive Press. She said whilst in the queue to cross she saw four middle aged ladies who wanted to spend a day in La Linea, all of whom were carrying only clutch bags. When Joanne asked the guards why they were not letting them through, the guard said that they could be trying to stay in Spain permanently without a visa. “It’s ridiculous,” Franks said, who visited the immigration office to plead with them to issue eight appointment requests for her friends who are due to visit in sumSee page 24 mer. B r i t s crossing the fron-
By George Mathias
tier to stay in Spain must now get a Carta de Invitacion - or invitation letter, for all family and friends who are staying at a private residence. “I went to the National Police today to book an appointment to request various ‘Carta de Invitaciones’, the next available appointment in Estepona is June 14, 2022, I have family members arriving in May and I have no idea what to do.” Aside from appointments, which need to be booked at least two months in advance, the cost of the invitation is not insignificant, costing €75 for each person. staying and what their address was. “That has never happened to us before. They ought to be notifying people,” he said. “Aside from the annoyance of being questioned so rigorously,
Apply
Immigrationspain.es also states: “Any foreigner planning to visit Spain cannot apply for the invitation letter directly. The relative or friend with whom the person is staying with must apply for the letter of invitation.” Elsewhere, Richard, a retired British expat, told the Olive Press that on the way back from By Kimberley Mannion a trip to Gibraltar from Elviria there was a huge queue The UK Europe Minister, James of people trying to Cleverly, has insisted that recent get into Spain. issues with strict Schengen conA border guard aptrols at the Gibraltar border are proached them and not a negotiating ploy by Spain. demanded to know Speaking alongside Julian where they were Braithwaite, Director General for Europe at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Cleverly said the THE SKY current focus of talks between the two sides is on the role SpanDOCTOR ish immigration officers should ALL AREAS hold in implementing Schengen code at Gibraltar if and when a COVERED deal is confirmed. While giving evidence to the 4G UNLIMITED House of Commons European INTERNET Scrutiny Committee, the Minister was not aware of recent difIDEAL FOR ficulties experienced recently by STREAMING TV Brits trying to cross into Spain. Asked whether the recent outALSO rage caused by Spain turning IPTV, Brits back into Gibraltar, having SATELLITE to justify their reason for travTV el and show they had enough money to stay was a tactic by the Spanish to show their strength in the run up to negotiations, Cleverly denied that this was the case. tel: (0034) 952 763 840 While he said he had not heard info@theskydoctor.com the reports of Brits not being alwww.theskydoctor.com
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the guard was very aggressive. It seems things have changed.” Previously the Olive Press reported that Brits, such as Julie Quartermaine, were being asked to prove they had at least €100 per day.
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lowed into Spain, Cleverly stated: “It’s undesirable but it’s a by-product of the administrative processes that you have at borders.” Instead, the Europe Minister was keen to show relations with the Spanish are good. He said: “I’m not detecting anything that would lead me to believe that there is a formal or mandated toughening of their position on this.” While Cleverly may not have heard of any border problems, the Olive Press has. Policia Nacional officers at the border were demanding non-EU nationals, including British passport holders, provide evidence of onward travel and hotel reservations in Spain before allowing them to cross, according to several people on social media. Opinion Page 6