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The European Union has promised to work with Boris Johnson to achieve an \u201corderly\u201d Brexit \u2013 but that would mean ratifying a Withdrawal Agreement the incoming British prime minister has already declared dead.<\/p>\nThe European Union has promised to work with Boris Johnson to achieve an \u201corderly\u201d Brexit \u2013 but that would mean ratifying a Withdrawal Agreement the incoming British prime minister has already declared dead.<\/p>\n
Brussels has repeatedly said it will not reopen the deal but Mr Johnson has said fundamental changes are needed.<\/p>\n
European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans stressed that the EU\u2019s position on the issue was clear.<\/p>\n
Mr Timmermans said a no-deal Brexit would be \u201ca tragedy for all sides, not just for the United Kingdom\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are all going to suffer if that happens,\u201d he told reporters in Brussels.<\/p>\n
In a reference to the two versions of Mr Johnson\u2019s article in which he finally came out in support of Brexit, Mr Timmermans said: \u201cHe took a long time deciding whether he was for or against Brexit and now his position is clear.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the position of the EU is also clear: the United Kingdom reached an agreement with the European Union and the European Union will stick to that agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will hear what the new prime minister has to say when he comes to Brussels.\u201d<\/p>\n
The EU\u2019s chief negotiator Michel Barnier also stressed that the Withdrawal Agreement was the basis for an orderly withdrawal.<\/p>\n
On Twitter, he said \u201cwe look forward to working constructively\u201d with the new prime minister \u201cto facilitate the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement and achieve an orderly Brexit\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added that the EU was prepared to \u201crework\u201d the Political Declaration setting out the aims for the future relationship, something that Brussels has already indicated it would do.<\/p>\n
Mr Barnier will meet MEPs on the European Parliament\u2019s Brexit Steering Group on Wednesday to discuss Mr Johnson\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n
Guy Verhofstadt, the parliament\u2019s Brexit coordinator, said he was \u201clooking forward to defending the interest of all Europeans\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson\u2019s political style was criticized by Lithuania\u2019s European Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis.<\/p>\n
In a blog post entitled \u201cBoris, you are wrong\u201d, he claimed that \u201cfake facts\u201d of the type used by the new Tory leader were killing democracy.<\/p>\n
Mr Andriukaitis said: \u201cA functioning democracy demands discussion of us. Using whatever means to win political battles just does not fit the bill.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoris Johnson \u2018virtuoso\u2019 in democracy is the example of this in action \u2013 where priority is given to the objective alone and not the means of obtaining it.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn this shaky path almost anything is allowed: cheap promises, simplified visions, blatantly evident incorrect statements on \u2018EU imposed\u2019 food safety standards.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan democracy survive this type of politics? My take is that democracy chooses only those principles that derive from it, defend it and legitimize it. The ones that stem from \u2018fake\u2019 facts are killing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He compared Mr Johnson to Boris Yeltsin during the turbulent years of his leadership in Russia \u2013 the origin of the \u201cBoris, you are wrong\u201d phrase used in the blog.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a different Boris, of course, but there was something in the way of doing politics that was similar: many unrealistic promises, ignoring economic rationales and rational decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a message to Mr Johnson, he added: \u201cI can only wish him luck in \u2018taking back control\u2019, spending more money on the NHS, swiftly concluding new trade agreements.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn other words, I hope and wish that he does not give anyone a reason to use the quote \u2018Boris, you are wrong\u2019 against him.\u201d<\/p>\n