Brussels, Oct 19 (CTK) – The Czech government has full confidence in European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said upon his arrival at the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday.
The negotiations are matter-of-fact and without dramatic situations and Barnier has been taking into account Czech priorities, Sobotka said.
Like the British side is defending its interests, the EU must defend the European interests in the Brexit negotiations, he said.
If Britain wants to have access to the single market in future, it may mean that the British will have to financially contribute, Sobotka said.
“I think there is no dramatic situation about which the Britons should complain,” he said about the negotiations.
Sobotka said the EU would like to maintain very good and close relations with Britain.
British Prime Minister Theresa May is to present the British view of the progress of the negotiations at the summit this evening. Other statesmen are to talk about Brexit on Friday morning when May will not be present anymore.
Britain would like to move to the next stage of Brexit talks concerning the broad field of future mutual relations, including defence and security cooperation and trade. But the EU member countries want more progress to be made in the first stage of the talks on the form of the British British departure from the EU in early 2019. French President Emmanuel Macron said all 27 member countries support Barnier’s steps.
