The former President of the European Council, Charles Michel, handed over the position to his successor, former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, on Friday. TASR informs according to the DPA agency.
Currently, the only way to be a patriot is to build a common Europe, Costa said on this occasion during the ceremony in Brussels. “Only together can we stand up for security, stability and peace on our continent,” he added. As the president of the European Council, he sets himself the task of strengthening this unity and at the same time preserving the natural diversity, the ex-prime minister of Portugal from the socialist camp further emphasized.
The President of the European Council is responsible for the preparation of EU summits, where the heads of state and government of the 27 member states of the Union meet, reminds DPA. In addition, he must lead working group meetings and try to establish unity among EU leaders. Costa will officially take office on December 1.
António Costa was born in Lisbon and has Indian origins after his father – a writer. As the head of Portugal’s minority government shortly after the euro crisis, he managed what was considered impossible – this 63-year-old lawyer he loosened austerity measures and increased social benefits and public investments, and at the same time he succeeded in consolidating state finances, concludes the DPA.
