The European Council President Donald Tusk urged Britain to stay in the European Union on Monday – just three days before the British voters decide in a referendum whether the UK will leave the bloc or remain part of it.

“I would like to appeal to the British citizens, on behalf, I know that for a fact, of almost all Europeans and European leaders: Stay with us. We need you,” Tusk said in remarks posted on the European Council website after his meeting with Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa in Lisbon.

“Without you, not only Europe, but the whole Western and transatlantic community will become weaker,” Tusk said in a direct appeal to Britons to back their country’s continued membership in the EU on Thursday.

Tusk also said that it would be “foolish”” to ignore “a warning signal” such as the UK referendum, referring to growing Euroskepticism not only in Britain but also in other EU member states and the need to reform the 28-nation bloc.

Whatever the result of the referendum is going to be, “we must take a long, hard look on the future of the Union,” Tusk said.

“There are more signals of dissatisfaction with the Union coming from all of Europe, not only from the UK,” he added.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!