"Yes, this is a divorce"

Merkel called Britain's exit from the EU tragedy, May offered friendship

The European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland last Sunday registered historical divorce, having lived in a difficult marriage for more than forty years. The “Release Agreement”, reached in 17 months of difficult negotiations, will be ratified by the European Parliament and the British parliament. The decision of the latter is unpredictable.

The Extraordinary Summit on Brexita outwardly did not differ from the routine. Before entering the courtyard of the EU, black limousines stopped one after another, of which the presidents and prime ministers, who were waiting for the Gurya of the journalists, came out of them.

Without ten eleven of Mercedes, Teresa May came out. She is a special participant in this event, the official name of which "Special meeting of the European Council (under Article 50) and a meeting with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom."

May arrived in Brussels the day before, when the fate of the summit hung in the balance. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatened to block an already reversed agreement due to ambiguity with Gibraltar,

And the German Chancellor Angela Merkel set the condition that it would arrive only for approving the finished document.

These obstacles were removed. Madrid received Brussel's written guarantees that the veto will have the right to any future agreement between the EU and Great Britain regarding Gibraltar, which Spain does not refuse claims.

The heads of state and governments pass along the red carpet around a huge ball in a glazed space resembling a globe. Graduation hall is gradually filled with a large round table in the middle.

France President Emmanuel Macron put on a black tie on occasion. He concentrated the pages of his speech. The head of the EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini froze in tense thoughtfulness. Maltese Joseph Muscat, on the contrary, was eagerly removed and hung a jacket on his chair, exposing black suspenders over a white shirt. Belgian Charles Michelle, bending down in a portfolio.

Angela Merkel in a blue jacket and with a large green bag appeared one of the last and hosted gait first rushed to the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude to a few words, then to the chairman of the European Council Donald Tuska. Journalists were asked to leave the hall ...

The result of the summit was the adoption of an agreement on 585 pages, as well as the “political declaration” attached to it, which sets out a general vision of future partnerships between the EU and the United Kingdom after their divorce, that is, from March 29, 2019. The transition period is provided until the end of 2020. He, if necessary and by agreement of the parties, can be extended for another two years.

The meeting was still in full swing, and on the second floor where national briefings are held, journalists began to gather. A queue formed at the door of the British hall.

Teresa May first turned not to the press, but to the people of Great Britain, to explain what the deal with the EU means the achieved transaction for him.

Her words sounded like an independence declaration.

She turned to that very province, to those workers and farmers who voted for Brexit and won with a minimum advantage.

This is what a transaction concluded by their will give them, expressed in a referendum.

• Border control. Not a temporary or restricted restriction, but the cessation of free entry is completely and forever. This will allow people to let people into the country, depending on where they are and what they can do.

• Control of the money of the British. Not a decrease in payments to the union budget, but a complete termination of deductions. Britain will be able to spend the money of its taxpayers for their own needs. For example, 394 million pounds per week only additional investments in the healthcare system.

• Control over your legislation. Not the return of some legal norms from the power of Brussels, but a complete cessation of the jurisdiction of the EU court in the UK.

• Not just the best conditions under the EU agricultural policy, but a complete way out of this policy and creating their own farmers support system.

• Not just an increase in annual quotas for fishing, but the exit completely and forever from the general EU policy in the field of fishing. The United Kingdom again becomes an independent coastal state with a complete sovereign control of its waters and decides to whom to let them in.

But at the same time, May convinced, the agreement provides the ease of moving goods across the borders. Having left the Customs Union and the Unified Market, Great Britain will still have a closer economic partnership with the EU than any other country.

More than three million EU citizens live in the UK, and more than a million British settled in 27 countries of the Union. The agreement guarantees the necessary rights to both. Great Britain is interested in maintaining close cooperation with the European Union in the field of security. Residents of Northern Ireland were promised that there will be no strict border with the Republic of Ireland, a member of the EU.

May painted the picture of the "bright future" for the UK.

Outside the EU, she will be able to conclude new trade agreements and open new markets in dynamically developing areas of the world, will build more housing, develop healthcare, fight social injustice ... British are waiting for prosperity and happiness.

But the Prime Minister made a reservation: any transaction is the result of the bargain, and not everything managed to get. May evaded a direct answer to the question of whether she would resign if the parliament shakes the agreement: “I will defend this agreement with my heart.”

And when the head of the British government was asked if she agreed with an assessment of Angela Merkel, who called Britain’s exit from the EU “tragedy”, it was convinced that they were destined to remain close friends and partners.

Merkel, whose press conference took place in the next room, also called this day historical, but did not draw rainbow paintings. “Yes, this is a divorce,” she stated. - In the future, the EU relations with Britain are relations with the third country. Of course, these will be very intense connections, closer than we have with other states, but still this is a divorce. It is, for example, about how the problem of freedom of movement will be resolved. You will have to pay your price for everything. ”

Macron performed in the hall nearby. He tried on the role of the leader of Europe after Brexit. He recalled the lessons that would be worth extracting the European Union: “Europe is fragile, (European integration) is not a given. We must protect it from all those who forget that it is a guarantee of peace, prosperity and security on our continent. Paradoxically, Brexit showed everyone the value of this union with all the need to improve it. ”

The French president, transparently hinting at May, called it not true that Brexit is inexpensive.

“The one who told the British that they will save dozens or even hundreds of billions of euros are wrong. But we will not try to punish them in order to dissuade it in this. ”

Several participants in the summit, including the Chancellor of the chairman of the EU Austria Sebastian Kurtz and the Prime Minister of Ireland Leo Varakar, in their statements excluded the revision of the EU deal with Great Britain. In case the British parliament does not ratify it, the union is ready for the worst scenario, which, however, is not catastrophic.

“I am believed that this is the only possible transaction,” said the chairman of the European Commission Junker at a final press conference. - Those who think that, rejecting this deal, receive the best, will be disappointed in the very first seconds after refusing it ... I urge to take this into account those who should ratify the agreement in the House of Commons. This is the best offer for the UK. And the best that is possible for Europe. ”

And the head of the European Council Tusk looks at things with optimism (apparently because he led the summit): “No matter how all this ends, one thing can be said with confidence: we will remain friends until the end of days and one day longer.”