The British referendum on staying within the EU was the main topic of the EU's Foreign Ministers' meeting in Luxemburg on Monday. They expressed their hope that Britons will choose to stay. Slovakia is preparing for the first steps after this vote, as its Presidency of the EU Council starts in July, confirmed Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák."We frankly hope that Great Britain will stay in the EU. We believe it would be better for both Britain and the Union," said Lajčák. He also conceded that it's a known fact that the EU is losing the support of voters and it needs to respond to this trend. "Regardless of the referendum's result, the EU should come up with steps that would improve its efficiency, move it closer to its citizens and solve their problems," emphasized Lajčák.
Apart from the Brexit referendum, the EU's foreign ministers also spoke about other topics, including migration. They extended the so called Sophia operation, which is to fight illegal migration from Libya, by adding new tasks: coastal guard training and arms embargo controls. The ministers also emphasized the importance of the Sahel Region in Central Africa for security in Europe. Their aim is to create long term complex projects to support the region and improve its future outlook.
