London Thanasis Gavos
Despite Boris Johnson’s visit, the political stalemate in Northern Ireland remains, where the two major parties have not been able to form a new government. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom had meetings with local political leaders at Hillsborough Castle on Monday afternoon.
The Democratic Union Party (DUP) refuses to agree to the formation of a coalition government, as stipulated in the peace agreement of Good Friday, setting as a condition the end of controls on products coming from Great Britain. These controls are provided for in the Northern Ireland Protocol to the Brexit Agreement.
Mary Lou MacDonald, President of Sinn Féin who first emerged as the first party in the May 5 election, accused Mr Johnson of not giving direct answers and that his primary concern was to “appease” the Democratic Union Party (DUP).
Ms McDonald’s remark is believed to be about the British government even intending to unilaterally cancel the protocol if the EU does not accept the changes proposed by London.
The head of Sinn Fein commented that the fact that the British government intends to legislate in violation of international law, ie the agreement with the EU, is “shocking” and “breathtaking”. He described the meeting with Mr. Johnson “Difficult”.
He called on the DUP to consider the need of Northern Irish citizens for a functioning local government that would address issues such as accuracy and abandon its “veto”.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson responded that his party’s flattery was “childish nonsense”. He insisted that the DUP demanded changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol because otherwise “instability arises and institutions are not viable”.
For his part, Boris Johnson said “everyone has to roll up their sleeves” and get to forming a government in Northern Ireland. He noted that he said in particular to the DUP: “We want to see you in the government and in the local national assembly.”
Regarding the Northern Ireland Protocol to Brexit, the British Prime Minister noted: “We do not want to repeal it, but we want to fix it”, claiming that all Northern Irish parties agree on this.
He added that in this way London is defending the peace agreement of Good Friday, as well as that the controls on the products are intensifying the cost of living.
According to reports, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Trace will make a statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday and warn against submitting a bill to repeal the Northern Ireland Protocol if the EU does not back down.
However, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland Michal Martin urged the British government to continue “substantial” talks with the EU on the protocol. “I see no other way to resolve these issues,” he said.
The DUP, the largest party in the Protestant Union, is in favor of Northern Ireland staying in the United Kingdom, while nationalist Sinn Féin wants union with the Republic of Ireland. According to the DUP, controls on products crossing the Irish Sea undermine Northern Ireland’s position in the UK and threaten the stability resulting from the 1998 peace agreement.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
