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

Good evening,

I address my greetings to all Portuguese at the beginning of this New Year.

I wish 2014 be a time for greater hope.

In the year that ended, the Programme for Financial Aid subscribed by Portugal in 2011 with the international institutions continued to demand heavy sacrifices from most Portuguese.

Unemployment remained at very high levels. Many young people had to search abroad for opportunities which they could not find in their country.

Experienced Portuguese with professional knowledge, aged between 45 and 65, were greatly bruised in their dignity, when faced with the risk of not being able to return to the labour market.

In a particularly adverse period, when many were dramatically affected by the crisis, our people continued showing courage and a great sense of responsibility, making their voices heard in a defence of a fairer distribution of sacrifices.

It cannot be forgotten that Portugal had reached, in 2011, a situation of imminent financial collapse, which led the Government then in power to request emergency aid from the international institutions.

We are now clearly conscious that it was not possible to continue on a course that, in due time, I qualified as an “explosive situation”.

In spite of the lowering of the standards of wellbeing, freedom and citizen’s rights were not affected.

We are proud to live in a stable and consolidated democracy, in a regime where the people enjoy the fundamental rights that must always be respected.

Institutions enjoy full democratic legitimacy, the legitimacy which results from the people’s votes, expressed in free elections.

Portuguese,

Economic growth is the key to contain the austerity to which the Country has been submitted.

In the year now ended, signs appeared that allow us to face 2014 with greater hope.

Portugal came out of the recession in which it had been under since the end of 2010.

National production grew in the second and third quarters of 2013 and there was a decrease in the rate of unemployment.

Exports and tourism have shown a very favourable record.

Notable examples of dynamism have appeared in agriculture which must be encouraged.

Consumer and entrepreneurial levels of confidence have shown improvement.

The examples I have witnessed while visiting the Country, of young entrepreneurs who are not renouncing, who do not lower their arms, must be a motive of inspiration for all the Portuguese.

It is not yet possible to state that the difficulties have been overcome and that the Portuguese economy has reached the dynamics of sustained growth that we want to achieve.

But recognition must exist for the extraordinary effort developed by our entrepreneurs and workers to overcome obstructions, and to find new markets for national production, especially outside the European area.

It is fundamental that, in 2014, the actions of politicians and public policies are guided towards the consolidation of the signs of economic recovery and for the strengthening of the existing climate of confidence.

On another hand, dialogue and settlement between the public powers and social partners are highly relevant features for the joint building of a better future.

The Programme of Financial Aid that Portugal established with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to obtain the indispensable loans to ensure the financing of the State and of the economy ends in May of the current year.

With the end of the Financial Aid Programme, Portugal will depend upon the international markets and investors to obtain the financial means it requires.

Access to external finance markets, at reasonable interest rates, demands that the adjustment process be successfully closed.

This is a pivotal objective, which has in the 2014 State Budget a most relevant tool.

A new programme of financial aid, generally known as a «second bailout», would mean continuing the austerity policy and the decline of Portugal’s credibility and image.

The risk would be high of receding to a more grievous situation than that which we are currently crossing.

There are reasons to believe that Portugal will not require a second bailout.

A cautionary programme is a different reality. We have reason to believe upon the support of our European partners in the access to financial markets.

In this context, it is demanded from all politicians, as well as from economic and social entities, the maximum care and good sense in weighing the situation, a patriotic sense of responsibility.

All, whether in government or opposition, are called upon to measure up to the crucial moment in which we live.

We must resolutely ready ourselves for the post-troika period.

It is illusory to believe that, on the day the Programme of Financial aid ends, all our issues will be resolved and that we can return to a period of consumerism and uncontrolled indebtedness.

We want the post-troika period to witness the growth of our economy, of job creation, of improvement in the lives of the Portuguese, of balancing of public accounts.

For this reason, it is essential that we are clearly conscious of the rules of budgetary discipline and of supervision of economic policies to which Portugal, as well as all other countries in the Euro Zone, is subject to.

Portuguese,

As you are aware, I proposed to the Country, last July, that political forces should enter into a medium term agreement, a “Commitment of National Salvation”.

I am deeply convinced that the growth of our economy, job creation and the living conditions of the Portuguese in the post-troika period would largely benefit if a medium term political compromise could be reached to cover the great national objectives and the public policies essential for our collective future.

This is an objective which is far outside the reach of electoral calculations or party political strategies.

The issue is national, not party political.

It is demanded that all political forces, without exception, understand once and for all: the concern is the future of Portugal, the future of the new generations.

Portugal is one of the European countries where dialogue and consensus amongst political parties has been more difficult, when what should be occurring is precisely the opposite.

Portuguese,

We will be commemorating this year the fortieth anniversary of the 25th April, the revolution that brought democracy and freedom to the Portuguese, as well as a promise of development and social justice.

The Presidency of the Republic will celebrate that date with an international conference focused on the Spirit of Democracy, the Culture of Commitment and the Challenges of Development.

We must commemorate the 25th April with a sense of future, following the lessons bequeathed us by History.

When the Portuguese joined the military on behalf of freedom, it was possible to build a new regime.

When the Portuguese battled against the antidemocratic forces, it was possible to build a constitutional democracy.

When the Portuguese joined those that led the adhesion to the European Communities, we comprised a project shared by millions of human beings.

When the democratic forces, largely representative of the People of Portugal, knew how to reach a patriotic entente, we generated a constitutional text more favourable to the process of change and modernization of the economy and of society.

We live nowadays in a free country, in a consolidated democracy; we are rightful members of the European Union.

All this was only possible because, in decisive moments, we were able to see beyond daily superficiality, reaching compromises concerning the great objectives.

We shared the great intents: democracy and freedom, progress and development, to be party to the European Union.

This is a collective heritage that we cannot lose because of cyclic disputes.

Should we think back on what Portugal was 40 years ago and what it is nowadays, we will conclude that the country changed widely – and changed for the better.

It is true that it was not an easy path and that not all issues are yet resolved.

But what History shows us is that it was only when we were able to establish compromises and to come together that we triumphed in the essential moments.

Again, in 2014, we live an essential moment.

For this reason, as I have often underlined, it is absolutely necessary that political forces act constructively, placing the real interests of the Portuguese above party political interests.

The issue now is Portugal in its entirety.

The issue now is the future of all Portuguese, of the Portuguese whose ambition is to live in a better and fairer country.

The Portuguese do not demand from the responsible politicians more that they have demanded from themselves: sense of responsibility, integrity of purpose and capability to work jointly to achieve common objectives.

What we will achieve this year will condition our future for many years.

2014 will be a decisive year. I know that the Portuguese are entirely conscious of this.

I thus expect that all politicians and economic and social entities will know how to measure up to the demands of the future and to the legitimate ambitions of our people.

To all Portuguese I wish a Happy New Year.