The European Union will agree to a short-term Brexit extension only if the United Kingdom approves a withdrawal deal by April 12, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd April, 2019) The European Union will agree to a short-term Brexit extension only if the United Kingdom approves a withdrawal deal by April 12, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday."If the UK's in a position of approving the withdrawal deal with a viable majority by April 12, then ... the European Union would also accept an extension until May 22 ... If the House of Commons does not adopt a stance before that date, then no extension, no short-term extension will be possible," Juncker said at a European Parliament session.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said earlier in the day the there was no reason for another Brexit extension. However, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said Dublin would support the United Kingdom if it requested a short delay.
The UK parliament has rejected the withdrawal deal three times. After the second rejection, the European Council granted the United Kingdom a Brexit extension until May 22 if the parliament managed to pass the deal by March 29. As the deal was voted down, the United Kingdom now has until April 12 to come up with a new solution or it risks leaving without a deal.
A series of indicative votes has been held in the UK parliament to see if there was a majority for any alternative plan, but no motion secured the required support.
