Minister Mitov discusses Brexit with EU counterparts
28 June 2016 News
Minister Daniel Mitov paid a one-day working visit to Warsaw at the invitation of his Polish counterpart Witold Waszczykowski. The meeting gathered EU foreign ministers to discuss the situation in the EU following the Brexit vote and the future EU-UK relations. They held an open and informal discussion, noting that its aim is not to devise additional political formats.
"We regret British people's decision, but we must respect their will and be cautious because almost half of them voted to remain in the EU," Minister Mitov said. He expects the UK to inform the other member states about its intentions as soon as possible. "This will enable us to make our own decisions and hold a more informed discussion in EU27 format," he said.
"We must emphasize that the populists in Great Britain who inspired unrealistic expectations should be held responsible. As soon as the result was announced, they began to go back on their promises and ideas about a quick exit from the EU, and therefore they should bear the consequences," Minister Mitov said.
He called for an honest, responsible and rational debate about the implications of the Brexit vote and the future of the EU as a whole. "The EU needs to reform and become more integrated. It is in our best interests to embrace the challenges as a chance to alter the Union and carry through the policies which remained unfinished for decades," Daniel Mitov pointed out. According to him, the concrete steps to this end should include relaxing the bureaucratic procedures, improving the single market, and raising the competitiveness of the European economy. The internal debate should not deflect attention from the urgent tasks as solving the problem of migration.
“The national governments should take the responsibility for the situation in their own countries and for the lack of reforms in them. This is the only way to arrive at supra-national, joint solutions for a stronger and reformed EU,” Minister Mitov argued.
The UK's Minister of State for Europe David Lidington said that the necessary talks will be held in his country and then Prime Minister David Cameron will brief the upcoming European Council about them.
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