[WATCH] Brexit talks: ‘Disappointed’ Muscat urges EU to rethink its stance

Brexit talks: ‘Disappointed’ Muscat urges EU to rethink its stance

A disappointed Joseph Muscat walked inside the European Council building urging member states to start “discussing bread and butter issues that affect the daily lives of citizens” while talk of the United Kingdom’s exit from the Union was very much the order of the day.

“It is disappointing that, when we are faced with the biggest crisis, what’s grabbing the headlines is the obscure Article 50,” Muscat said, referring to EU Treaty’s clause that provides for a member state’s departure from the EU.

Once activated, Article 50 will kick-start the UK’s exit process from the EU.

“Despite the technical aspects, I think there are other major issues. This is a Europe which the people are feeling increasingly estranged from and it is our duty to take action. Maybe the first ever decision to leave the Union can be blamed on others… if there is a second country, we only have ourselves to blame.”

When asked what he would be telling the British Prime Minister, Muscat jokingly added that he had “a lot of things” to say.

The European Parliament is the latest EU institution to call on the UK to withdraw from the EU as soon as possible.

The Parliament backed a resolution proposed by the major political groupings which called on the UK to respect the wishes of the majority of the EU’s citizens, “entirely, fully and as soon as possible, by officially withdrawing from the EU before any new relationship arrangements can be made”.

Many of the EU leaders are arguing that a swift activation of Article 50 would address the “growing uncertainty”, an argument that Muscat is rejecting.

“I don’t think there is growing uncertainty… people know exactly what’s coming next in terms of the political and technical aspects. I am more interested in the solutions to make Europe work in a better manner.”

In what could possibly be his last summit, Cameron will this evening brief his European counterparts on the results of the UK referendum while the 27 leaders will meet again tomorrow morning, without the outgoing British prime minister, to discuss the future of the European Union.

Cameron is also expected to reveal Britain’s decision over the rotating EU Presidency, which was set to take place in July 2017 right after Malta’s.

EU President Donald Tusk today also suggested holding a summit of the 27 EU countries without Britain in September to discuss the bloc’s future, saying leaders needed time to prepare.

“I will propose that we can hold an informal leaders meeting in September because we need a few weeks to prepare. Maybe the best place will be Bratislava,” Tusk said. Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, which will then hold the EU’s rotating presidency.