British Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned on Wednesday to threaten to activate Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which suspends that agreement, whether negotiations with the European Union (EU) do not come down.
In a telephone conversation with the Irish Prime Minister, Micheal Martin, the British ‘Premiere’ caught the attention of the “substantial distance” that still between the postures of the United Kingdom and the EU in this regard, the border in Ireland.
In Johnson’s trial, the Protocol manages to keep the trade flow opened between the North and the South of the Island of Ireland – for the good Friday Peace Agreement signed in 1998 – but not the exchanges within the
Same country between Northern Ireland and the island of Great Britain.
“We can not allow a situation to be developed in which the government is unable to give economic support to Northern Ireland in the same way as in the rest of the United Kingdom. Basically, Northern Ireland’s place in the British domestic market is
Crucial for his long-term prosperity and could not be damaged, “a spokesman for Downing Street said in a statement.
Johnson reiterated the British demand that the European Court of Justice is “part of that fundamental imbalance”, since any dispute “decides in the court of a part”.
“The implementation of the protocol is now crashing with economic and political realities, and a significant change is necessary,” said the spokesman.
Johnson and Martin agreed that “a negotiated exit is the preferred one” and agreed to “work hard” to get it.
However, “if the conversations can not give a balanced and sustainable result, the Government would not be more choice to use the measures of safeguard under Article 16”, which qualifies from a “perfectly legitimate provision” of the Northern Ireland Protocol
.
“The two leaders agreed on the vital importance of the relationship between the United Kingdom and Ireland to find solutions and give a long-term stability in Northern Ireland,” said the spokesman.
