Merkel warns Brexit would deprive UK of EU gains

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday urged Britain to stay in the EU, warning it would miss out on the bloc’s past and future gains if it left.

“A few days ago I already pointed out what an exit would mean,” said Merkel, “that everything related to the common market, and to the mutual benefit to Britain and all other European member states, would no longer be available to Britain.”

Negotiations currently held between the bloc’s 28 member states would in future be conducted between an EU of 27 and an outside state, Merkel said, adding: “I cannot imagine that this is advantageous.”

Careful not to be seen as meddling, Merkel reiterated that “nevertheless it is the decision of the citizens of Great Britain” whether to stay in the bloc or leave when they vote in next Thursday’s referendum.

She was speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who pointed to latest polls showing the Brexit side in the lead and voiced pessimism.

Fico — whose country takes on the rotating EU presidency on July 1 — said any outside intervention could be “counterproductive” but added: “We can only state what we wish for: our wish is that Britain stays in the European Union.”

“But allow me to use football language,” he said. “If a team is behind 0-3 in the 90th minute, it’s not realistic to believe it will turn things around and win 4-3.

“That means we have to stay realistic,” he said according to the German translation.

“When we follow developments in Britain, then we have to very professionally prepare for both scenarios.”