By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 18 Jan 2019 • 11:29
SPAIN’S Prime Minister has said that Brexit is a scenario in which “we all lose” and that he regretted Britain’s withdrawal from the EU.
Pedro Sanchez said Madrid could do nothing but respect Britain’s decision to leave the EU. He was speaking at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg.
The negotiations ahead of Britain’s withdrawal on Friday March 29 had been “difficult” but the deal on offer was the best possible, the Prime Minister added.
“I have always said that Brexit is a disgrace. For the British people and for the EU. We all lose. Especially the British, and particularly those who need the protection of their government,” Sanchez said.
The Prime Minister said he would stand up for the ‘four freedoms’: the free movement of goods, capital, services and people.
Con el #Brexit nadie gana, todos perdemos. Pero es una decisión soberana que debemos respetar. Lamentamos el rechazo al Acuerdo de Retirada de Reino Unido. Es el mejor acuerdo posible, que protege los intereses de ambas partes, tanto de ciudadanos como de operadores económicos. pic.twitter.com/OBO4vecenI — Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) January 16, 2019
Con el #Brexit nadie gana, todos perdemos. Pero es una decisión soberana que debemos respetar. Lamentamos el rechazo al Acuerdo de Retirada de Reino Unido. Es el mejor acuerdo posible, que protege los intereses de ambas partes, tanto de ciudadanos como de operadores económicos. pic.twitter.com/OBO4vecenI
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) January 16, 2019
There was no need to change the current Withdrawal Agreement that was rejected by MPs in London earlier this week, Sanchez added.
“I have repeated that this is the best possible agreement. It would be absurd to change the best agreement for another that is surely worse.
“Maintaining this agreement is the best thing for the Spanish government and, I believe, for the EU,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez’s comments come days after the House of Commons voted down the Withdrawal Agreement by a margin of 432 to 202, the largest defeat of any government since 1924.
The defeat was a blow for British Prime Minister Theresa May who survived a no confidence motion by a margin of 19 votes on Wednesday.
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