Estela Silva / LUSA
The President of the Republic, António José Seguro, with the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez
About labor law: “Now, there’s something I can tell you”, only to correct it immediately: “I’m not going to say it at this moment”.
The President of the Republic, Antônio José Seguro, considered that his first visit official to Spain “exceeded expectations” and that on a geopolitical level, the two countries converge “in essence”.
António José Seguro spoke to journalists at the residence of the Portuguese ambassador in Madrid, at the end of his trip abroad as head of state.
“We returned to Portugal with a enormous happiness, because from my point of view this visit exceeded expectationswhether in terms of relations between States, or in terms of personal relations, which were cemented with the kings of Spain”, he declared.
Asked about the different positions taken by the Portuguese and Spanish governments in relation to the North American administration of Donald Trump, the President of the Republic considered that “Portugal and Spain converge in the essentials: the world needs peace”.
“There is too much suffering, and the two States are firmly willing to collaborate in all initiatives that promote ceasefires where there is war and that promote lasting peace, because it is peace that the world needs, there is too much suffering. And from this point of view there is a total convergence. And there is also a total convergence in the sense that the Strait of Hormuz opens”, he pointed out.
Asked if there is no irritants between Portugal and Spain, particularly regarding the war in Iran, António José Seguro responded that leaves “very satisfied and very happy” of this visit and described the atmosphere of his meeting followed by lunch with Kings Felipe VI and Letizia as “very warm, very affectionate”.
The head of state arrived in the Spanish capital on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by his wife, Margarida Maldonado Freitas, and the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel.
On Monday, the President of the Republic was received by the King Felipe VIat the Royal Palace, in a meeting followed by lunch, which also included the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, with whom he met later, at the Moncloa Palace.
“Vou very happy, both me and my wife, upon returning to Portugal”, he reinforced, expressing certainty that “this happiness is also shared by the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs”.
Regarding future visits by the kings of Spain to Portugal, the President of the Republic said that “there will certainly be times for State visits, this is an official visit, but the kings know that the doors of Portugal are always open and that they will always be very welcome”.
“A cemented very good personal relationship which, I am sure, will produce many fruits in the future. I left this visit very happy”, he concluded.
labor law
António José Seguro stated that he will insist “until the end” on the appeal to dialogue about the review of labor legislation, but he denied putting pressure on anyone.
“It is not up to the President of the Republic to determine the final result – that is up to the stakeholders, the Government, the social partners, that is up to the result. Now, the President of the Republic don’t give up, until the end, to call for dialogue, for conversations, for understanding. This is what the Portuguese demand from a President of the Republic, and I will always do this, in all circumstances and under all conditions”, declared the head of state to journalists in Madrid.
The President of the Republic will receive the social partners on Wednesday at the Palácio de Belém. Asked whether these meetings cannot be seen as a way of pressuring the UGT and also the PSD/CDS-PP Government into an agreement that neither party ends up wanting, António José Seguro replied: “I don’t put pressure on anyone. The President of the Republic encourages the dialogue”.
Earlier, the head of state commented: “I find this question interesting, because at the beginning of this entire process, when I made the first call for dialogue, I was accused of the oppositewas accused of excessively protecting the UGT. Now they are making me responsible for exactly the opposite of what it was at the beginning.”
António José Seguro argued that “it is the duty of the President of the Republic to constantly call for dialogue”, that “this is what the Portuguese demand: that the social partners dialogue with each other, that they reach agreements, that they converge in situations, in positions of balance”.
“It is clear that the President of the Republic does not replace any of the partners: neither business representatives nor worker representatives. It doesn’t replace, nor does it want to replace”, he highlighted.
When asked whether, faced with a decree that reaches him without agreement in the context of social consultation, he maintains his word that he will not promulgate it, Antonio José Seguro replied that “the President of the Republic respect the times: the time of social consultation, the time of parliament”.
“And there will be a time when the decree arrives in Belém, and then it is time for the social partners and parliament to respect the President of the Republic’s time, because he will decide at that time. Now, There’s one thing I can tell you“, he continued, to correct immediately: “I won’t say at this point“.
Regarding Wednesday’s meetings, he framed them as part of the hearings he has held at the beginning of his term and mentioned that he wants to address a broader set of topics with the social partners.
“If you ask me: but won’t they also talk about the process that is taking place regarding labor legislation? Of course. The President listens to everyone and everything”, he added.
