European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic has rejected an accusation that the European Union (EU) is using Northern Ireland to punish the United Kingdom for Brexit. He accused the EU of doing "demonstrable harm to every individual in Northern Ireland", adding it is having a "devastating impact". "We have violence on our streets in Northern Ireland, which hasn't been the case for years, and that's on the back of this Protocol," he said. He said for the EU and the UK it was "very clear" that was the Northern Ireland Protocol. As a consequence, Northern Ireland is being used as a plaything for the European Union," he said.

Source: Irish Independent May 30, 2021 09:33 UTC