Page 8 - aruba-today-20190413

A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 13 april 2019
UK’s anti-EU Brexit Party launches EU election campaign

By JILL LAWLESS lawmaker Jacob Rees-
Associated Press Mogg. “I joined the Con-
LONDON (AP) — Pro-Brexit servative Party in 1984 and
British politician Nigel Far- this is not a decision I have
age on Friday launched a made lightly — to leave
campaign for an election a party for which I have
that may never take place fought at every election
to an institution he routinely since 1987, from Maggie
insults — the contest for U.K. Thatcher through to There-
seats in the European Par- sa May,” she said. “I know
liament. which one I’d rather have
Britain was supposed to representing us now.”
have left the European The pro-EU Independent
Union before the European Group, founded by British
elections, which take place lawmakers who quit Labour
in late May in every EU na- and the Conservatives,
tion. But with Britain’s Parlia- has registered to become
ment still deadlocked over a political party so it can
whether to approve the run in the EU election on a
government’s divorce deal platform calling for a new
with the bloc, EU leaders referendum on Britain’s EU
have postponed the Brexit membership.
deadline until Oct. 31. After months of acrimo-
British Prime Minister The- nious, indecisive yet cliff-
resa May says taking part edged wrangling in Parlia-
in this year’s European British MEP Nigel Farage speaks during the launch of the Brexit Party’s European election campaign, ment over Brexit, U.K. law-
elections three years after Coventry, England, Friday, April 12, 2019. makers began a 10-day
the nation voted to leave Associated Press Easter break on Friday. May
the EU would be “unthink- Britain’s ruling Conserva- formed Brexit Party, calling but stepped down as UKIP has urged them to “reflect”
able.” She still hopes Britain tives and the opposition delays to Britain’s depar- leader after the referen- and use the break to “re-
can avoid the U.K.’s May Labour party are unenthu- ture from the EU “a willful dum. UKIP has since shifted solve to find a way through
23 election by leaving the siastic about running in the betrayal of the greatest to the far right; its new lead- this impasse.”
28-nation bloc before then. European Parliament elec- democratic exercise in the er hired anti-Muslim agita- Talks continued Friday be-
But with British lawmakers tion, where they are likely history of this nation.” tor and convicted fraud- tween senior lawmakers
unwilling to endorse the di- to be punished by disgrun- “The fightback begins ster Tommy Robinson as an in May’s Conservative-led
vorce agreement that May tled voters. here,” said Farage, who adviser. government and the La-
forged with the EU, prepa- But pro-Brexit and pro-EU formerly led the U.K. Inde- Farage said he did not want bour Party in hopes of strik-
rations have begun to fill parties are eager to run in pendence Party and has to be a part of a party that ing a compromise Brexit
the 73 U.K. spots in the 751- a contest seen by many sat in the European parlia- promoted “violence, crimi- deal that can win majority
seat European legislature. as a way to express their ment since 1999. nal records and thuggery.” support in Parliament. Sev-
Winning candidates from strongly divergent views on Farage was instrumental Other candidates for the eral rounds of negotiations
Britain will only get to serve the EU. in helping the Leave side Brexit Party include An- over the past week have so
as long as their country re- Farage held the first cam- win Britain’s 2016 referen- nunziata Rees-Mogg, sister far failed to reach a Brexit
mains in the EU. paign rally of his newly dum on EU membership, of pro-Brexit Conservative compromise.q

France’s Macron meets Ukraine’s 2 presidential contenders

By GEIR MOULSON enko later tweeted that he that “implementing demo-
SYLVIE CORBET was “happy to meet with a cratic change is a compli-
Associated Press sincere friend of Ukraine.” cated process ... Ukraine
PARIS (AP) — Ukraine’s Macron didn’t make any has made progress here,
beleaguered president comment to the press. but certainly is not at the
traveled to Germany and In Berlin, Merkel received end of the road.”
France on Friday ahead only Poroshenko. Her Germany and France bro-
of a presidential runoff in spokesman, Steffen Seib- kered a 2015 peace ac-
which he is trailing a com- ert, said a meeting with cord with Kiev and Mos-
ic actor who is a political Zelenskiy “is not planned cow to stop the fighting in
novice. His rival headed to at present.” At a joint news eastern Ukraine between
Paris only. conference in the German government forces and
Polls show Ukrainian Presi- German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and the President capital, Merkel deflected Russia-backed separatists,
dent Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, left, address the media during a a question about the im- but the deal is far from fully
behind by a wide margin joint press conference as part of a meeting at the chancellery pression that she favors Po- implemented.
ahead of the April 21 runoff in Berlin, Germany, Friday, April 12, 2019. roshenko, arguing that she “We must continue on this
against Volodymyr Zelens- Associated Press is in “permanent contact” path, because it is the only
kiy. Germany and France, Macron successively met Russia’s state news agency with the incumbent and one I can see on which
which have led diplomatic with Zelenskiy and Poro- as saying after the talks. “It it’s important to keep talk- we can really make prog-
efforts for years trying to chenko at the Elysee presi- was a pleasure to meet Mr. ing on those topics despite ress,” Merkel said, adding
ease tensions between dential palace in Paris. Macron.” Ukraine’s election. that she favors continuing
warring neighbors Ukraine “We had a very construc- He would not elaborate. “We have built very close four-way talks between
and Russia, are following tive conversation,” Zelens- After his meeting with the relations in the last few Ukraine, Russia, Germany
the election closely. kiy was quoted as saying by French president, Porosh- years,” Merkel said, adding and France. q