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DUP Chairman Jeffrey Donaldson delivering a keynote address on the Northern Ireland Protocol
Photo: Peter Morrison / dpa
What should the relationship between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland be like when Great Britain leaves the EU?
That was one of the toughest questions before Brexit.
The exit has long since happened, but there is still no convincing answer.
That could now lead to a government crisis in Northern Ireland.
Because the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) does not want to participate in consultations with the government in Dublin for the time being in protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Brexit Treaty.
This was announced by DUP chairman Jeffrey Donaldson in a speech in Belfast.
Cooperation with the Republic of Ireland is to be continued only on health issues.
It was only on Monday that the British government announced that it would continue to unilaterally suspend regulations from the protocol in order to alleviate difficulties for trade.
The DUP calls for the protocol to be abolished entirely.
The Northern Ireland Protocol is part of the Brexit Agreement and is intended to ensure that no border controls are necessary between Northern Ireland, which belongs to the United Kingdom, and Ireland, a member of the EU.
An open border between the two parts of the Irish island is a prerequisite for maintaining the fragile peace in the former civil war region.
Instead, checks must now be carried out when goods are brought from England, Scotland or Wales to Northern Ireland.
This creates problems with intra-UK trade.
Warning of new elections
DUP leader Donaldson warned that the unity government between his party and the Catholic-Republican Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland would fail if the problems were not resolved soon.
Then there could be a new election within weeks, so Donaldson.
Meanwhile, EU Vice-Commission President Maros Sefcovic arrived on a two-day visit to Northern Ireland.
"I'm here to listen and engage with businesses, civil society and political figures," he wrote on Twitter.
The EU Commission has recently shown itself to be open to finding practical solutions for the implementation of the protocol.
A renegotiation of the agreement demanded by London excludes Brussels.
mrc / dpa