British PM's "hard" Brexit stance still good for Slovak citizens abroad: Slovak FM

British Prime Minister Theresa May has made British position clear ahead of talks on its future relations with the European Union (EU), and this enables Slovakia to formulate its stance too, Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak said Wednesday.

"It is clear from May's speech that Britain has decided for a hard, or clean, Brexit, and that it doesn't want to be part of the EU's four freedoms, but at the same time it does want to be involved in the free movement of goods and services in some way, " said the minister.

"What we also see as important is her confirmation that the standing of EU nationals who already live in the UK will be preserved. Naturally, this involves reciprocity. This makes me believe that this is good news for our citizens and is in line with one of the conditions of the Slovak government," stressed the minister.

Lajcak said protecting Slovak nationals living in Britain meant ensuring they weren't discriminated against, and that the same applied for both the citizens of other EU countries in Britain and British citizens living in the EU.

"We'll mount a vigorous defense for this in the talks, but it's not only us, because the same is in the interest of all EU countries and, naturally, it's also in the interest of the United Kingdom to make sure that its citizens don't face discrimination in the EU. I expect no issues to arise on this one," added Lajcak.

Lajcak noted, however, that he expected difficult talks to follow.

"The EU-27 will produce a common position, and it has been agreed clearly that there'll be no individual talks," Lajcak said. Holding individual talks would be tantamount to double-crossing the EU-27. Endit