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

I am very grateful to Your Majesty for the kind words you have addressed me, as well as for the warm welcome my Wife and I and our retinue have received in this State Visit to Sweden.

I am extremely pleased to visit this country in my quality as President of the Portuguese Republic. In spite of the distance that separates us, the friendship between Portugal and Sweden has secular roots. In 1641, our countries established diplomatic relations, although even before this institutional marker it is possible to find evidence of meetings between the two peoples. As you may be aware, 1641 was a decisive year in Portugal’s History. The previous year had witnessed the restoration of our independence which then required consolidation. Sweden stood with us at that time, such as it did when democracy was established, in 1974. I am pleased to recall the support afforded us by Your Majesties’ country in these two historical moments for Portugal.

I am doubly pleased to do so, anyway, when Your Majesty’s reign celebrates 40 years and when the birth is announced of one more Prince in the Swedish Royal Family. Allow me to express, in my name and on behalf of the People of Portugal, our most sincere congratulations.

Diplomatic, trade and cultural contacts between our countries gave rise to a legacy of friendship and proximity that I wish to enhance on this occasion. Portugal and Sweden, whose peoples share a strong maritime tradition, have in this legacy of the past the best bases for a relationship looking towards the future. And, in this context, emphasis must be placed on the carrying out of high level visits such as those Your Majesties held in my country in 1986 and in 2008, one of which I am overly pleased to recall.

It naturally adds that we have been partners in the European Union for almost two decades. This is, as we well know, a time of great challenges, both for Portugal and for Europe. The financial crisis that has struck the Euro Zone has evidenced structural weaknesses and imbalances in the economies of several Member States, and has equally shown the difficulties being found by the European institutions in adequately and timely providing answers to an unprecedented situation.

It is true that important decisions are being taken and European instruments adopted to strengthen the system of economic governance and to reinforce confidence in the single currency. But, as I have often underlined, and even in the European Parliament when I visited Strasbourg last June, much more has to be achieved in order to promote economic growth and employment.

Portugal has been carrying out an important effort of macroeconomic and financial adjustment and has complied with the international commitments it has assumed. We have equally been pursuing an ambitious and demanding programme of structural reforms, intended to increase flexibility and competitiveness in our economy.

Majesties,

The excellence of the political relationship between our countries must be extended to cover economic and trading grounds.

For this reason, I decided to be accompanied on this Visit by an entrepreneurial delegation that is representative of some of the more dynamic sectors of the Portuguese economy, endeavouring to promote the identification of new business opportunities between Portuguese and Swedish entrepreneurs.

The intensive programme of this Visit in the economic and entrepreneurial fields is readily demonstrative of our cooperation potential. This is particularly the case in the areas of innovation and scientific and technological research, of renewable energies and in highly technological industries. But equally so in the more traditional sectors such as textiles and footwear. I will have the honour tomorrow, together with Your Majesty, to preside at the closure of the business forum; we will visit Kista; I will have the opportunity to contact several of this country’s economic leaders; and several initiatives will be held in Lund and Malmö.

The strengthening of bonds between countries is also largely related with the mutual knowledge of their cultures, of their heritage and of their idioms. I hope that, more than ever, the Swedish people will feel interested in visiting my country, in becoming acquainted with Portuguese culture, its gastronomy, wines and music. There is much in Portugal to be discovered and enjoyed.

Majesties,

On the occasion of the official visit of King D. Luís to Stockholm, in 1886, the Swedish official gazette stated “(…) we have sufficient reasons to be persuaded that the King of Portugal was greatly appreciative of his visit. If, as we expect, the royal visit contributes towards fuller trade relationships between Sweden and Portugal, this will equally bring advantages to both countries, whose sovereigns had these days the opportunity to renew and strengthen the bonds of friendship that have linked them for many years (…)” I am certain that Sweden and Portugal will know how to continue, in the 21st century, to value and reinforce their mutual friendship. It is with this spirit that I ask you to join me in a toast to the health of their Majesties, to the friendly people of Sweden and to the future of the relations between our countries.