"We regret this but this is a decision of the British people and it must be respected. We feel sadness for the United Kingdom and Europe. But we must overcome this, which means preserving Europe’s unity, continue fulfilling priorities and projects while being even more attentive to the expectations of the people of the whole Europe," the minister told reporters.
He also called on the British government to begin the leaving process as soon as possible in order to maintain "the unity and stability of both Europe and the United Kingdom."
On Thursday, the United Kingdom held a referendum to determine whether or not the country should leave the European Union. According to the final results, 51.9 percent of voters, or 17.4 million people, decided to support Brexit, while about 16.1 million opposed it.
