European Commission president Juncker warns UK of pricy Brexit
The UK will have to pick up a hefty bill at the conclusion of Brexit negotiations, according to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.
Speaking in the Belgian parliament, Juncker ruled out any negotiations which might finish with a "cut-price" Brexit and insisted that Britain will face the consequences of leaving the bloc.
Last June's referendum led to a victory for the Leave campaign, and British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to invoke Article 50 to begin the exit process in March.
"We need to settle our affairs not with our hearts full of a feeling of hostility, but with the knowledge that the continent owes a lot to the UK," Juncker said. "Without [Winston] Churchill, we would not be here – we mustn't forget that, but we mustn't be naive."
"Our British friends need to know – and they know it already – that it will not be cut-price or zero cost."
Many of the EU's high profile names have struck a hard line since Britain's decision to leave the bloc, including Juncker and chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt.
Juncker used the French slang word literally translating as "salty" to describe the hefty price tag that will come with Brexit.
"Therefore the bill will be – to use a rather vulgar term – very salty. It will be necessary for the British to respect commitments which they freely entered into."
May admitted for the first time in January that Britain will be subject to a so-called "Hard Brexit", losing access to the single market.