EU blasts May's stance on post-Brexit citizens' rights

BRUSSELS: Bulgaria, which holds the presidency of the European Union, has warned British Prime Minister Theresa May against plans to deny residency rights to Europeans arriving during the post-Brexit transition period.

Lilyana Pavlova, the Bulgarian minister for the EU presidency, said she was “worried” about May’s stance and that the other 27 countries would be “tough” in negotiations on Britain’s exit in March 2019.

Pavlova – a close ally of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov – said in an interview that she hoped “in the end the support for the citizens will be ranked higher than political ratings”.

“European acquis (laws) should be applied in the transition period, it should be followed completely,” Pavlova said.

“This is not the right way forward if we are not following or completing the EU acquis as it is.”

The EU said last Monday that Britain must follow all of the bloc’s laws, including the right of citizens to live and work where they choose, in return for access to the European single market during the proposed transition ending in December 2020.

But May set up a fresh clash after saying that Europeans arriving in Britain during the 21month transition phase should not get the same rights as those who arrive before Brexit day.