Some Falkland Islanders are calling for restrictions on Argentine visitors after reports of tourists displaying Argentine flags and messages rejecting British sovereignty over the territory.
Michael Goss, a member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly for Camp, said residents had been vocal about preventing Argentine visitors from entering the islands, adding that the Assembly would look into possible options.
GB News on Friday reported that he told The Express, “In the community, who have been quite vocal about the fact of wanting to prevent Argentinian visitors coming into the islands.
“Whilst I am not opposed to that, we have to be realistic of what falls in the legalities of the lay of the land and the law, so we can’t turn around and directly stop people coming in at this moment in time.”
Goss said the Assembly had already begun examining possible measures to address the issue.
He said, “We have been looking at the early points of this assembly of ways and means that we could actually look to potentially put a stop to things like this, but ultimately, again, it falls down into what we can do legally.
“But it also comes down to administration.”
The reported incidents come amid renewed tensions between Argentina and the United Kingdom over sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls the Islas Malvinas.
Official guidance from the Falkland Islands Government says the public display of Argentine flags or wearing of Argentine military uniforms has the potential to cause “public concern and distress” and asks visitors to refrain from doing so.
The Falkland Islands Government’s visitor guidance also says the term “Malvinas” is considered highly offensive locally because Argentina uses it to assert its sovereignty claim over the islands.
The latest dispute comes after Argentine President Javier Milei renewed his country’s claim to the South Atlantic territory.
Milei told the United Nations General Assembly in New York, “We will not remain indifferent to those who exploit resources under illegal foreign occupation.
“Argentina’s position is clear. Today, I have come to tell you that Argentina is not going to sit around waiting for the UN and the international community to live up to their own mandate.”
Responding to Milei’s remarks, the British UN delegation said, “The United Kingdom has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.”
It added, “The United Kingdom is steadfast in its support for the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination… The Falkland Islanders have as much right to determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development as any other peoples.”
Goss also addressed the wider sovereignty dispute, saying the latest statements from Buenos Aires would not unsettle the islanders.
He said, “We’re hearing a lot of noise coming from Argentina. We’ve seen sparks of this in the UN when myself and Dom were away and ultimately we knew then that there was going to be a lot more noise coming out.”
Directly addressing the statements from Milei, Goss said, “We’re not shaken by it, we’ve grown. We are strong, and we are going to continue to grow and we are going to grow stronger from this, not weaker.
“So, my ultimate closing statement on this is: it’s just noise, and we’re not going to let it get to us.”
Under existing arrangements, visitors can enter the Falkland Islands subject to immigration requirements. The islands’ government says visitors require a valid passport, evidence of accommodation, sufficient funds and, for land-based travellers, a return ticket and travel insurance.
The Falkland Islands Government has not announced a ban on Argentine visitors. Goss’s comments indicate that possible measures are being considered, while legal and administrative issues remain to be addressed.
