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17. 10. 2019 21:15

The Prime Minister after talks on Brexit: the Czech Republic will only support the United Kingdom’s departure with a deal

The Prime Minister after talks on Brexit: the Czech Republic will only support the United Kingdom’s departure with a deal, 17. October 2019.
The Prime Minister after talks on Brexit: the Czech Republic will only support the United Kingdom’s departure with a deal, 17. October 2019.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is attending an EU summit on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 October 2019, where the main topic of discussions so far between the leaders of the member states has been Brexit. At the talks a new agreement has been agreed for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

At the European Council meeting the Czech Prime Minister discussed the agreement for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. In the afternoon the prime ministers and heads of state were familiarised with the draft agreement negotiated by Michel Barnier and his team. During the meeting the member states approved the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration setting out future relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

The debate at the European Council began with the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in attendance, before the twenty-seven member states approved the agreement on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU. The leaders then called on the Commission, Parliament and the Council to facilitate withdrawal by 1 November 2019, i.e. to take the necessary formal steps. For the European Parliament this means voting to consent to the agreement. However, before then the British parliament should vote on the agreement on Saturday 19 October 2019.

“This was the first time the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has attended the European Council. He’s a very charismatic leader, and he speaks concretely and concisely. He came, he said he’s glad to be here with us and he also hopes it’ll be the last time. Then we approved the agreement, thanked Mr Barnier and his team for negotiating it, and now we’re expecting the British parliament to pass it on Saturday. The European Parliament should approve it on Monday. So we’re keeping our fingers crossed that everything works out on Saturday and the UK can leave with an agreement on October 31,” Prime Minister Babiš said after the European Council meeting.                                             

The European Council also approved the political declaration setting out the framework for future relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom. Negotiations on this relationship will begin once the United Kingdom has left the EU.

“If things don’t work out as planned, we’ll have to look for alternative solutions. The Czech Republic will only support the United Kingdom’s departure with a deal; a hard Brexit is bad for us,” said Prime Minister Babiš after the European Council meeting.

The EU summit is now continuing with a working dinner where external relations and EU expansion will be discussed.

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