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Portugal "sloppy" in Brexit dealings: EU lawmaker

Xinhua, May 4, 2017 Adjust font size:

Paulo Rangel, the Portuguese vice-president of the European People's Party, claimed Thursday that Portugal had not properly dealt with Britain leaving the European Union (EU), local media agency Lusa reported.

"I am very worried when I see prime ministers in countries similar to Portugal give importance to the subject, while the Portuguese government is very sloppy," he said at an international seminar on the future of the EU in Porto, some 320 km north of Lisbon.

Rangel called on Portugal to do "something" about Brexit and added that it had not handled the subject in the right way.

He also said that as Portugal was sea-based, it depended on Britain for a pro-Atlantic vision in the EU.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has recently accused EU officials of influencing the country's general election, which is taking place on June 8 this year. Britain is scheduled to withdraw from the EU in March 2019.

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has held that the government hopes that Britain and Portugal will maintain a positive relationship despite Brexit. Endit