Brussels: European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on Thursday dismissed a claim by British Prime Minister Theresa May that the EU was trying to influence the outcome of the June election in Britain.
"No one is trying to influence the outcome of the election campaign in the United Kingdom," Tajani told journalists at the opening of a European history museum in Brussels.
"It is neither an attack or a bad word to say being a member of the European Union is not the same as being outside the EU," Tajani said.
May accused Brussels on Wednesday of trying to influence next month's election with "threats against Britain" over Brexit talks, as the two sides traded blows over terms of the country's divorce.
May fired off her broadside after the bloc's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that the negotiations on Britain's divorce from the EU would not be quick or painless.
She said the hardening of the European Commission's stance was "deliberately timed to affect the result" of the snap June 8 general election.
The chief spokesman for European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker played down May's comments, chalking them up to election campaign rhetoric.
"We are not naive. We know there is an election taking place in the United Kingdom," European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said Wednesday.
"We here in Brussels, we are very busy with our policy work, we have too much to do on our plate," he said.
"In a nutshell we are very busy and we will not 'Brexitise' our work."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
"No one is trying to influence the outcome of the election campaign in the United Kingdom," Tajani told journalists at the opening of a European history museum in Brussels.
"It is neither an attack or a bad word to say being a member of the European Union is not the same as being outside the EU," Tajani said.
May fired off her broadside after the bloc's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that the negotiations on Britain's divorce from the EU would not be quick or painless.
Advertisement
The chief spokesman for European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker played down May's comments, chalking them up to election campaign rhetoric.
Advertisement
"We here in Brussels, we are very busy with our policy work, we have too much to do on our plate," he said.
Advertisement
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Uber Fined $324 Million In Netherlands For Sending Drivers' Data To US Media Groups Urge EU To Sanction Israel For Death Of Journalists In Gaza Is Great Britain Still Great? Millions Face Hunger As Poverty Crisis Escalates US Millionaire, Who Died By Suicide, Owed $34 Million With $8,000 In Bank On CCTV, Cops Seen Planting Drugs On Man In Mumbai, Suspended After Probe UK's Seat Should Go To India: Ex-Diplomat On UN Security Council Reforms 8 Killed After Bus Carrying 47 Overturns In US State Of Mississippi: Report Trump "Disrespected Sacred Ground' At US Military Cemetery: Kamala Harris Top 10 US Universities Based On Forbes Rankings 2024 Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.