During a visit to Northern Ireland on Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wanted to urge the parties there to work together and make new appeals to the EU to agree to changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Brexit Treaty.

Even before he arrived, however, the parties lowered their expectations of his initiative.

Nationalist Sinn Fein, which won last week's general election, told Johnson it didn't need a "motivational speech" and accused him of political "choreography" with the second-place Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

The DUP has so far refused to participate in the government as long as the controls agreed in the Brexit agreement are in place at the new goods border with Great Britain.

DUP chief Jeffrey Donaldson said,

Jochen Buchsteiner

Political correspondent in London.

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Before his trip, Johnson had spoken in the newspaper "Belfast Telegraph" of "doors wide open for a genuine dialogue" with the EU.

In a lengthy article he described the Northern Ireland Protocol as "flawed".

He again called for corrections, but fell short of calls from the DUP and many Brexiteers in his group for the protocol to be abolished.

"Those who want to trash protocol instead of looking for change are focusing on the wrong thing," he wrote.

Johnson committed to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended the civil war in Northern Ireland, but sees it in jeopardy due to the EU's interpretation of the protocol.

"The delicate balance struck in 1998 is shaken," he wrote.

There is also a cost of living crisis

"Part of Northern Irish society sees its hopes and identity threatened by the implementation of the protocol." Johnson not only criticized supply uncertainties, but also described it as a "serious problem" that the Northern Irish are not benefiting from his government's recent VAT relief , because they have to follow EU norms on this issue.

Since the agreement was signed, "a lot of things have changed," Johnson argued.

At the time of signing, there was no free trade agreement, nor were the pandemic and the war in Ukraine foreseeable.

This has now led to a cost of living crisis in Northern Ireland as well.

Although Secretary of State Liz Truss recently saw the talks with the EU as "at the end of the road", the prime minister expressed confidence and spoke of a "reasonable landing place" in the negotiations that could protect the interests of all sides.

"Our common goal must remain to create the greatest possible support in all parts of society (Northern Ireland) for a reformed protocol 2024." He continues to hope that the attitude of the EU will change.

"If that doesn't happen, there will be a need for action."

Sinn Fein Chairwoman Mary Lou McDonald reversed Johnson's argument on Monday, warning that not the protocol but unilaterally overturning it would create "uncertainty and tension" in Northern Ireland.

In addition, a unilateral approach could provoke a "total conflict" with the EU.

The government is expected to introduce legislation this Tuesday that would allow parts of the protocol to be overwritten.

Because it is controversial in Parliament, it would probably be passed - if at all - in autumn at the earliest, probably not until next year.