Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

Both my Wife and I are particularly delighted in welcoming Your Excellency, Mr. President, and Mrs. Anna Komorowska, as well as the renowned delegation that accompanies you on this State Visit to Portugal.

Portugal and Poland have kept ancient political and cultural bonds that the passing of centuries have strengthened, and which, in these days, are fulfilled in the partnership we share within the framework of the European Union.

History bequeathed us a vast and rich heritage in political, military and business cooperation, with the first contacts between Portuguese ports and the Port of Gdansk going back to the final years of the 14th century, and which witnessed, from the beginning of the 15th century, a significant drive in the context of the Portuguese maritime expansion.

Later, in the second half of the 19th century, that which became known as the “Polish issue” found in Portugal a wide and active movement of support that mustered several sectors of Portuguese society, including the two first Presidents of the Portuguese Republic, Manuel de Arriaga and Teófilo Braga.

Also in the cultural field, History left us a record of an intense interchange between our two countries and peoples, as shown, for instance, by the impact, in Poland, of “Os Lusíadas”, by Luis Vaz de Camões, or of “Quo Vadis”, by Henrique Sienkiewicz, in Portugal.

Mister President,

Portugal and Poland are, today, partners in the framework of the European Union, sharing the values of the European project and showing great convergence in common objectives and interests.

I am deeply convinced that European integration continues being the best answer to the challenges of the current world. None of the countries comprising the European Union, independently from their size, will be able to find, on their own, better solutions than those resulting from the collective and harmonious will of all the Member States.

This is the case in the answer to the economic and financial crisis. We have always argued that the sole truly effective answer to a crisis, which is systemic and global, can only be European, collective and harmonious.

Important decisions were taken in the last few years leading to the strengthening of budgetary discipline and economic governance in the euro zone. We require, however, to go further and focus our efforts and priorities on the adoption of a truly European agenda towards growth, increased employment, strengthening of competitiveness and cohesion. From this depends the future welfare and stability that we want for our people.

I reassert, today, what I stated in Warsaw in September 2008, during my State Visit to Poland. There is no Europe without the active and driven participation of all of us, and we all need more and a better Europe.

Mister President,

In addition to the strengthening of the excellent political relationship between our countries, Your Excellency’s current visit will, I am certain, contribute towards an even closer cooperation at the economic and entrepreneurial level.

Looking at the current dynamics of our economic and trading relations, and to the level of Portuguese investment in Poland, I can only rejoice. For many Portuguese companies, Poland is a very relevant external market.

Several entrepreneurs that accompanied me on my Visit to Poland in 2008 are present here today. Many of them strengthened, since then, their investment in Poland, taking advantage of the high growth indices of the Polish economy. Their example is the best witness of the opportunities offered for reinforcing our economic partnership.

I believe, however, Mister President, that we can achieve more and better in these, as well as in other fields. This is the case with renewable energies, biochemistry and biotechnology, nanotechnology or technologically advanced services, sectors in which Portugal has been decisively investing. The convergence of our interests in other regions, such as the case with Africa and Latin America, equally offer high potential for the strengthening of our cooperation.

The Economic Forum that will be held tomorrow, to which opening I will have the honour to preside, together with Your Excellency, will be an occasion for the entrepreneurs and investors from both countries to become better acquainted and deepen their cooperation.

But our bilateral relations are also built in other areas. The dimension of cultural cooperation has gained growing importance in the latter years. The same could be achieved in the scientific, technological and university fields, bringing benefits to both countries.

Mister President,

My Wife and I have very clear and pleasant memories of our State Visit to Poland in September 2008. Apart from the results, we cannot forget the extraordinary hospitality with which we were received. We sincerely hope that Your Excellencies, as well as your retinue, will feel as much at home in Portugal as we felt in Poland.

Your Excellency’s Visit to Portugal will, I am certain, constitute a further relevant marker in the relationship between both our Countries, and will surely strengthen our partnership within the European framework.

It is in this spirit that I ask you all to join me in a toast to the health and prosperity of President Komorowski and Mrs. Anna Komorowska, to the friendly People of Poland, as well as to the friendship between our two countries and to the future of our relations.

Thank you very much