European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Wednesday he will not resign because of Britain's referendum vote to pull out of the European Union.
The EU did not participate in Britain's 'Remain or Exit' campaign and there was no interference from Brussels while the UK held the independent referendum on June 23, Xinhua news agency quoted Juncker as telling the media after European leaders held an informal meeting without their British counterpart for the first time in 41 years.
"At the request of the British government and also leading opposition figures in the UK, I didn't interfere. Because British democracy is fully developed, they don't need any interference from me," he said.
Asked if Brussels failed to convince Britain to stay, Juncker said he had no intention to be influenced by such criticism.
"I advise people to have a close look at my CV. I think they would draw a different conclusion if they did that," he said.
European Council President Donald Tusk also voiced support for Juncker. "Juncker is the last person we can accuse of being responsible for the negative result of the referendum in the UK," he said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron on June 24 announced he would step down in October after 52 per cent Britons in a historic referendum on Thursday voted in favour of leaving the EU.
The EU held a two-day summit on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss how to deal with Britain's referendum vote.
--IANS
py/vt
