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Fidelity to the assumed commitments

Throughout the first year of the mandate that I was entrusted with by the People of Portugal on January 22 of 2006 I endeavoured, above all, to be faithful to the commitments I assumed in my electoral campaign.

I consider it extremely important for the credibility of the political system that the Portuguese understand that my performance as President of the Republic corresponds to what I had announced, and that the promises made along the campaign were, in fact, my word of honour. If complying with promises made in an electoral campaign should be a fundamental principle for any public person, it gains added relevance in the case of the President of the Republic, since, as the highest magistrate of the Nation, he must be a reference of ethical values for his fellow citizens.

Since the President of the Republic does not have legislative powers, neither can he draw or execute policies; his commitment with the electorate rests, basically, in the overall guiding lines he defined for the exercise of his duties. As such, a President faithful to the assumed commitments cannot be unpredictable.

Contributing towards political stability

Contributing towards the creation of a climate of political stability would have to be one of my main priorities.

Political stability is an essential premise for the reforms which are necessary to the development of the Country, to the increase in the quality of life of the people and to the creation of a fairer society, as I repeatedly underlined throughout the electoral campaign.

Immediately upon being elected I made it a point to state: “The Portuguese will have in the Presidency of the Republic a President who wants to be a factor of stability of the institutions”.

The various political alterations and governmental crises occurred in the period from 2002 to 2005, and the succession, in less than one year, of several elections (legislative, local authority and presidential) had left the Portuguese, and even externally, with a sensation of instability which had to be overcome as quickly as possible.

Trust between sovereign institutions is a decisive factor for political stability. This concern was ever present since my first day as President of the Republic in my regular dialogue with the Prime Minister and in the contacts with the various members of the Government. The circumstance that dialogue with the Prime Minister and the Government was discrete and reserved was shown to be relevant for that aim to be achieved. It should not be necessary to say that, to build a relation of trust between sovereign institutions, the good will and attitude of only one of the parties is not sufficient.

The same trust and discreteness has governed the contacts between the Civil House of the President of the Republic and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, regarding legislation submitted for enactment, as well as between the Military House and the Ministry of National Defence.

It was equally my concern to maintain respectful relations and loyal cooperation with Parliament and the political parties therein represented, as well as with the governments of the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira and the Representatives of the Republic in those Regions.

As to the Judiciary, I wished to listen to the Presidents of the Supreme Courts, to the Attorney General and to other protagonists in the justice system, in order to contribute towards a climate favourable to the credibility and the prestige of the judicial authorities and to render possible the indispensable reforms in this sector.

As an expression of the value I attribute to political stability, especially in such a difficult period that the Country has been experiencing in the last few years, I made it very clear, in the electoral campaign, that I did not believe the presidency should act in opposition to the parliamentary majority and that the President of the Republic should not use the prerogatives granted by the Constitution with the purpose of wearing down, fracturing or weakening the Executive, neither to feed institutional frictions which could endanger the governance of the Country.

This position has clearly emerged from the attitude of calmness, moderation and rigorous respect for the rules of democracy with which I have tried to exercise the presidential duties, as well as in the exemption and the poise which I have endeavoured to bring into my decisions, the care taken in the public declarations concerning the actions of the Government and in the criteria I have followed in the enacting of legislation.

The duty of restraint that I have given to the measures taken by the Government or the acts of Parliament, which have been the object of controversy, does not mean less regard or absence of opinion as to the adopted policies, neither a definitive refusal to assume a public stance in such cases. I shall do so whenever I consider that the situation so demands.

In the constructive spirit that guides my actions, endeavouring that problems are resolved for the benefit of the Country, I believe that, first of all, I must take matters up with the Prime Minister, expressing my points of view or concerns about the current governmental policies, and not be hasty in comments on the issues placed by the media. I believe that a President of the Republic is no help to the Country should he be tempted to assume being a protagonist through the media.

The respect for the democratic legitimacy of the Government and the development of a loyal relationship with its members does not signify any passivity on my part, less demanding in accompanying the actions of the Government, nor a less rigid exercise of the competences constitutionally attributed to the President of the Republic. I will not relinquish my right to be informed upon governmental policy and consider that the close scrutiny of the legislation produced by Parliament and by the Government is an extremely relevant presidential duty.

But, as I have had the opportunity of making clear, the enactment of legislation by the President of the Republic does not necessarily imply his agreement with all that is prescribed therein.

On the other hand, I believe that the power to veto should be cautiously used, as a result of a judgement as to the reason, the need or the opportunity of the respective legislation, with regard to national interests.

The submission of legislation to the Constitutional Court, for the preventive appreciation of their constitutionality, must not be understood as a devious way to prevent their coming into force or to hide situations of political conflict between the President of the Republic and the Government or Parliament. I believe, especially with respect to certain legislative acts which have a wider scope or which have caused controversy as to their conformity with the Constitution that it is in the Country’s interest that their coming into force is devoid of any problems and that any doubts that may subsist will have been preventively clarified by the competent institution.

As to the referendum on voluntary abortion, I did exactly what, in my electoral campaign, I said I would. Since the Constitutional Court had given as correct the constitutionality and the legal principles of the proposal submitted to me by Parliament, I set the date for the referendum, made a statement to the Country, appealing for an earnest, informative and clear debate and, during the campaign, maintained total restraint and absolute impartiality.

The sense of strategic cooperation

I stated in my electoral campaign that, due to the great challenges facing Portugal, the President of the Republic should strive further than just keep to institutional cooperation, and develop a real strategic cooperation with the Government. In the document “My ambitions for Portugal” which I divulged to the Portuguese, I wrote: “From me, the Government, any Government, can expect cooperation. Especially that strategic cooperation which allows the Country to firmly travel the paths to modernization and progress.”

Throughout the first year of my mandate, the expression “strategic cooperation” – which, during the electoral campaign, created some controversy – gained an ever more clear and precise context, viewed in the endeavour of the President of the Republic to carry out national objectives endowed with large consensus, such as the building of a fairer and friendlier society; promoting social inclusiveness; promoting innovation, scientific development and entrepreneurship; dignifying the reputation and prestige of the Armed Forces; asserting Portugal in the World and the defence of its external interests; ensuring the credibility and prestige of the judicial institutions and the effectiveness of the judiciary system; cultural development; protecting the environment and town and country planning; increasing the qualification of human resources; and promoting effective equality of opportunities among the Portuguese.

In the evening when my electoral victory was announced I was very clear in stating: “From me, the legitimate Government of Portugal, as well as the remaining sovereign institutions, can expect a loyal spirit of respect, cooperation and mutual aid. This is what the Country needs and the demand of the Portuguese”.

Strategic cooperation, as I understand it, does not place in doubt the principle of separation of powers, but rather highlights its inter-dependency, as anyway consecrated by the Constitution. It does not mean mutual responsibility or any critical appraisal of governmental action and, much less, does not imply the distancing of the President of the Republic relative to his duty of exemption and impartiality in the face of the political forces. I do not have a partisan view of presidential duties, I am against any type of party-political intrigue, and I do not want that the expression “President of all the Portuguese” to be a mere figure of rhetoric.

It is not the President’s role to legislate or govern, but this does not prevent him – on the contrary – from exercising his powers of influence with the different political institutions, with the aim to substantiate the great national objectives and the legitimate ambitions for the well being of the Portuguese.

I know that the President of the Republic may never abstain from any of the powers attributed by the Constitution. But I believe that, considering the situation of the Country, it is desirable that the President finds a proper space to act, more in the implicit powers of positive influence than with the negative powers awarded him by the Constitution. Discretion and restraint in the dialogue of the President of the Republic with the remaining sovereign institutions is, normally, the condition required for the effectiveness of the implicit positive powers.

Economic and social development

Knowing that the future of Portugal and the paths of progress demand basic reforms in several fields, I have tried to contribute for these not to be postponed, but avoided public comment when, in relation to them, dissension became apparent between the main political and social forces.

I did however counsel for negotiation and the search for consensus amongst the political forces, for an earnest and full parliamentary debate and for dialogue and agreement between the Government and social partners in the case of structural reform, so that the solutions reached better served the national interests and its sense duly understood and accepted by the majority of the Portuguese.

The President of the Republic may, privately, express his opinions on the reforms being prepared or debated, but he must do it in order that these are not used as an “assault weapon” of a political force against another, neither can he give up his freedom to consider the respective legislation at the time of enacting.

The wish to contribute for the Country to conquer the economic and financial difficulties in which it has been plunged for a number of years and to again find the path for economic and social development was one of the main reasons for my decision to become a candidate to the Presidency of the Republic. Always, of course, with respect for the balance of powers foreseen in the Constitution.

I made clear, in my electoral campaign, that the absolutely necessary interruption in the distancing of Portugal from the average level of development of the European Union, which has continued since 2000, would obviously condition the political action of the President of the Republic. It is an essential condition to fight unemployment, to face the phenomena of poverty and social exclusion and to improve the living conditions of the more disadvantaged population groups.

A constant feature of my public speeches and in contacts with representatives of civil society organizations has been the concern to allay dismay and pessimism as to the future of the Country, to array national energies, disseminate a culture of modernity, revive hope and transmit to the Portuguese a renewed will to conquer the challenges placed by change.

In my inaugural speech, I made it a point to stress that everyone’s contribution was necessary for Portugal to overcome the difficulties and conquer the challenges it was facing and that it was a mistake to think that the State could resolve everything or almost everything.

During the first year of my mandate I did not get tired from insisting that, in Portuguese society, along with rights, a civic culture of responsibility and demand should be stressed, in which each one regarded as his duty, to contribute towards the progress of the Country, endeavouring to accomplish his duties correctly and with quality.

I launched the Route to Science, with the objective to alert Portuguese society to the importance of innovation, research, scientific development and entrepreneurship, aiming to bolster the competitiveness of our enterprises in the global world in which the Portuguese economy is inserted.

The first campaign was dedicated to the areas of bioscience and biotechnology. I visited research units in enterprises and in universities, laboratories, company incubation centres, the biotechnology park in Cantanhede and I contacted with researchers and entrepreneurs in those areas. I tried to provide visibility for what is being properly accomplished in Portugal, in an advanced field of the economy, based on knowledge, not only as a prize and a stimulant for the people involved in the projects, but as a contribution to the improvement of a climate of confidence.

The second campaign of the Route to Science was dedicated to clean technologies, particularly to renewable energies and energetic efficiency. I tried to give prominence to entrepreneurial initiative in the fields of Aeolian energy and bio diesel and to research projects in the areas of the environment, of renewable energies and energetic efficiency, carried out in the Faculty of Engineering of Porto University, in Aveiro University and in the Higher Institute of Technology (Faculty of Engineering of the University of Lisbon). My concern was to alert the Portuguese to the decisive importance of the policies of environmental sustainability and to the preservation of the quality of life of future generations.

Throughout the first year of my mandate I tried to make it clear that the great challenge faced by Portugal is that of global competitiveness. The need to “Think Global and Act Global” must be the inspiration of company strategy as well as that of the reference framework of political and social institutions and of the Public Administration.

Following a proposal I made to the General Meeting of COTEC, the Committee for Globalization met in Sintra, under my patronage, in November 2006. Approximately two dozen leaders of worldwide enterprises from twelve countries debated, with an equal number of Portuguese entrepreneurs, the challenges of globalization. My objective was to provide Portugal with greater economic visibility and to contribute towards a better understanding and dissemination of the global issue and its implications, creating in Portuguese society a sense of urgency for the reforms required for success in a global world.

On the route for inclusiveness

In line with my convictions as to the fundamental principles that should govern political procedure, I assumed in the electoral campaign the commitment to defend the improvement of social justice, to fight against poverty and exclusion, to support the more disadvantaged and vulnerable citizens of our society.

This was the reason why, in the speech I delivered on April 25, in Parliament, the first major public appearance after my inauguration, I proposed a civic commitment for social inclusiveness, involving political bodies, local authorities, civil society organizations, trade unions, institutions of social solidarity and civic associations.

I believed that I myself should be an active agent in this commitment and, shortly after, in the practical sequence of that speech, I announced the purpose of promoting the Route to Inclusiveness, with the aim to awaken the social conscience of the Portuguese, underline everyone’s responsibility for the building of a fairer and more inclusive society and impel projects for the support of the more disadvantaged.

It would be wrong to turn the Route into an exhibit of the misery and misfortune which still exist in our Country, which, apart from disseminating dismay, could also be viewed as an attempt to weaken the Government. As already stated, I wish to contribute positively for the resolution of the Country’s problems, to bring the Portuguese together and not to create or feed artificial conflicting situations.

I should, however, show examples of good practices in the field of social solidarity, in order to prove solutions, to stimulate the launching of new initiatives to combat exclusion and to strengthen the confidence of the Portuguese on their own capability to face the problems.

The Route to Inclusiveness was divided into four campaigns: the first was dedicated to the regions in the periphery of the interior of the Country and to ageing; the second, to children at risk and domestic violence; the third, to voluntary work and social exclusion; the fourth, to the inclusiveness of retarded persons.

I visited institutions of solidarity in twenty counties of different regions of the Country, and promoted working meetings with the local authorities of Beja, Évora, Portalegre and Castelo Branco, trying to emphasize their role in the social development of their municipalities. I had the opportunity to enhance the voluntary work of thousands upon thousands of citizens and the participation of institutions of social solidarity.

Answering my appeal, a group of entrepreneurs, to which I gave my patronage, created the “Association of Entrepreneurs for Inclusiveness”, with the main objective to participate in the fight against school abandonment and of providing incentives for entrepreneurship amongst the young.

Hearing the Portuguese

The campaigns of the Routes to Inclusiveness and to Science and the visits I made to several counties allowed me a close contact with the people, hear their voice, have a better knowledge of their problems, harvest and feel the Country, obtain data to better develop my duties as President of the Republic.

With the same objective I gave audiences to dozens of representatives of civil society organizations and held informal talks with more than a hundred persons originating from various sectors. But I tried to act in such a way that the Palace of Belem would not be used as a base for attacks on the actions of the Government, for which there are proper places to demonstrate.

My concern was not to remove myself from national realities, to gain knowledge of what is really going on in the different parts of the Country, in the different sectors of activity, in the different groups of society.

On the other hand I considered it important that the Portuguese should have timely and objective information concerning the activity of the President of the Republic. This resulted in the efforts to improve the official site of the Presidency of the Republic on the Internet (www.presidencia.pt) and to widen the information available. This has constituted an extremely useful instrument in the contact with the Portuguese, judging from the number of visitors.

Cooperation with other sovereign institutions was always present in my visits in the Country. In practically all of them I had the company of members of the Government and of Parliament, thus strengthening the convergence in achieving the national objectives and in resolving the problems of the people.

Assert Portugal in the World

The President of the Republic has the important role of the international representation of the Nation.

In the first year of my mandate I made two official visits abroad, to Spain and India. These visits were carefully prepared, in close connection with the Government, and several of its members, as well as members of Parliament, were included in the official retinue. I consider it fundamental that, externally, members of sovereign institutions project an image of unity of State in the defence of Portuguese interests.

The fact that my first visit was to Spain, following an invitation from the King, which was delivered to me personally by the Crown Prince, on the eve of my inauguration as President of the Republic, shows well the closeness of the Portuguese-Spanish relations and Portugal’s interest in their becoming ever deeper.

Portugal and Spain are partners in the European Union and in NATO; economic inter-dependence is very close between both countries; the areas of common interest are vast. As I had the opportunity to underline during my visit, nothing that happens in Portugal is irrelevant to Spain, and nothing that happens in Spain is irrelevant to Portugal. This is the reality of the relationship between both countries.

Apart from contributing towards the consolidation of the relations of mutual trust and to encourage the deepening of the contacts between the civil societies of both countries, the visit also had the aim to present the Portugal of the beginning of the XXI century, a modern Country without complexes, which is facing difficulties but, as in the past, will be able to conquer them.

Whence the concern to include in my retinue representatives of the new generation of artists, entrepreneurs and scientists, in the areas of technological innovation and biotechnology. For that same reason, as well, my gift to the King of Spain – as the media amply notified – of a mobile telephone with a GPS navigational system, produced with Portuguese software.

I equally took part in a seminary, organized by the Portuguese and Spanish COTEC institutions, dedicated to Portuguese-Spanish cooperation in the field of scientific and technological innovation.

The choice of Asturias as the Autonomous Community included in my visit was due to the fact of it being the Principality of the Heir to the Crown and the land where Princess Letizia was born, thus evidencing the relevance given to the friendly relations between both countries, and also due to it being the region of the largest Portuguese investment in Spain and of the interest shown by Asturias in the strengthening of economic relations with Portugal, as nowadays is the case with Galicia.

The objectives of the State Visit to India were, mainly, to contribute towards straightening the political relations between both countries and to open the doors to intensify bilateral economic relations.

The last visit of a President of the Republic of Portugal to India had been in early 1992. Meanwhile, India had overtaken the mark of one billion population, opened foreign access to its economy, registered in recent years rates of growth of approximately 7%, developed technological centres of international repute, and asserted itself as a major performer in the international scene.

Although there were no pending litigious issues, the lack of political and economic contacts between both countries was notorious. That was the reason why I stated, before departure, that I was not going to India on an historical pilgrimage, but to help in the building of a solid relation with a sense of future.

Apart from the meetings I held with the highest Indian dignitaries, the visit had an important economic component. The retinue included sixty responsible members of Portuguese companies, selected because of their interest in building or consolidating connections with India. I took part in economic seminaries which took place in New Delhi, Goa and Mumbai, was the guest of honour and main speaker at the opening of the "Partnership Summit 2007", in Bangalore, in which approximately two thousand Indian and foreign entrepreneurs participated, and visited companies in the areas of biotechnology and information technology which are highly placed in the world markets. The Portuguese visiting companies made approximately 750 contacts with Indian counterparts.

The historic-cultural relationship between Portugal and India was viewed since the beginning as an added value for the straightening of relations between both countries. As a Portuguese who visits Goa for the first time, as was my case, I could not but feel a strong emotion with the signs of the Portuguese presence I found there, especially in Old Goa.

The degree of Doctor Honoris Causa awarded me by Goa University was particularly significant, not only because it was the President of the Republic of Portugal, but also because it was the first time that University conferred such a distinction.

Apart from the State Visits to Spain and India, I also took part in the Summits of CPLP, in Bissau, and Iberian-American, in Montevideo, thus endeavouring to underline two fundamental axes of Portuguese foreign policy. I then had the opportunity to meet several other Heads of State and to have accepted my suggestion that both the CPLP Summit, in 2008, and the Iberian-American Summit, in 2009, are held in our Country.

Finally, my involvement with European integration is well known. The celebration, in 2006, of the 20th anniversary of Portugal’s adhesion allowed me to take account of my vision over the actual European moment and the challenges facing the European Union, and to set out the aspects that, in my view, require an answer from the European leaders, if we wish that citizens continue seeing an added value in the Union.

Dignify the Armed Forces

The role of the President of the Republic as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces is extremely important and its exercise requires high repute, sagacity and stateliness.

In this first year I endeavoured dignifying the reputation and prestige of the military institution, and to encourage the joint work of the different branches of the Armed Forces, in order to bolster the operational status of the forces and promote the rationalization of the means.

In April 2006, I initiated my contacts with the Armed Forces by visiting the forces stationed in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, bringing to the Portuguese soldiers a message of solidarity and recognition for their work on behalf of peace, of pluralist democracy and respect for human rights. I tried at the same time to assert with public opinion the importance of the role of the Armed Forces for the safeguard of National Defence and as an instrument of Portuguese foreign policy.

Likewise, I required that the June 10 Celebrations, in Porto, should include a military ceremony that would call the attention of the Portuguese, highlighting its eminently national character and that would render just homage to our Armed Forces.

One year of Presidency

The President of the Republic cannot, obviously, be the judge of the first year of his mandate. That judgement is primarily the role of the Portuguese, of all the Portuguese.

I only want to let you know that I tried, earnestly and with endeavour, to comply with the commitments I assumed with the Country, whether during the electoral campaign, whether in the inaugural act, where I took the solemn oath to observe and require the observing of the Constitution of the Republic.

I trust the Portuguese and their capabilities. History teaches us that we have always overcome difficulties when we were able to unite around a common project. Portugal is our aim for the future and our demand for the present. It was in the name of my Country that I decided to become a candidate for the Presidency of the Republic. Whist President of the Republic the horizon of my actions will always be Portugal – the whole of Portugal.

This book, which is now being published, contains the more relevant speeches I delivered during the first year of my mandate. The aim is to provide the Portuguese access to information concerning the positions, messages and ideas publicly expressed by the President of the Republic, thus complementing the information available on the Internet site of the Presidency of the Republic. The reader will be able to see that the texts reflect how I understand the exercise of the presidential duties, which I tried to summarily explain above.

After a year as President of the Republic, I maintain the same enormous sense of responsibility that I felt on the evening of January 22, 2006, when my victory was announced.

To all in the Presidency of the Republic who have given me support in accomplishing my duties I extend my most sincere thanks.

Aníbal Cavaco Silva