EU Council President says Brexit extension may be the last one

Brussels: Outgoing European Council President Donald Tusk on Tuesday urged the British government to make the most of the Brexit extension granted by the bloc and warned that the process may not be delayed further.

“To my British friends, the EU27 has formally adopted the extension. It may be the last one. Please make the best use of this time. I also want to say goodbye to you as my mission here is coming to an end. I will keep my fingers crossed for you,” he tweeted.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel is set to replace Tusk as the European Council President next month.

The EU leaders on Monday approved the UK’s request for a three-month extension to the Brexit process, meaning that the country would not leave the bloc on Thursday as per the previous deadline.

Tusk had said that the bloc’s 27 remaining leaders agreed to a “flextension” until January 31, 2020, adding that the decision must still be formalised through a written procedure.

The delay, granted for the third time by the EU this year, will be cut short if British Prime Minister Boris Johnson passes his exit deal before January 31.

Meanwhile, British lawmakers on Tuesday voted in favour of a snap election in the UK, paving the way for holding polls on December 12, weeks before the country is set to depart from the EU on the new deadline.