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

Portuguese,

On the 10th instant I expounded to the Country a means to overcome the current political crisis. I presented the solution that I consider the best for the resolution of the national issues, not just as an immediate perspective, but also within a medium term view.

This solution implied achieving a Commitment for National Deliverance between the three political parties that, in 2011, subscribed the Memorandum of Understanding with the international institutions.

An agreement between these three political forces, which represent 90% of the number of Members of Parliament, would strengthen our negotiation capacity with the international institutions, mitigating the enormous sacrifices demanded from the Portuguese.

In addition to achieving political stability, a medium term commitment would improve the conditions required for the growth of the economy and for the creation of employment.

The support of the largest opposition party would be added to the parliamentary majority to implement the measures that, after joint negotiations with the international institutions, would prove indispensable to successfully complete the Programme of Economic and Financial Assistance, and to achieve the Country’s return to the markets in more favourable conditions and to ensure the normal financing of the State and the Economy.

Once completed the Programme of Assistance, in 2014, the process would commence to open a new political cycle through the holding of elections, and thus guaranteeing improved conditions of stability and governance for the Executive.

The new Government would also be ensured Parliamentary support from the Parties that had subscribed the Commitment, in order to implement the indispensable conditions to defend national interests in a crucial stage of our collective life, the post-troika period.

To the economic agents and social partners, to national and international investors, to the international institutions and to our partners in the European Union we would provide the perspective, during a wide temporal horizon, that our Country is politically stable and follows an intelligible strategy of sustainable development.

We would exclude the idea that in our Country, a change in Government would result in changes in the basic guiding lines of economic policy, such as the sustainability of the public debt and the control of foreign indebtedness. In short, we would dismiss the idea that we are an unpredictable Country.

Since the beginning of the 21st century we have moved forwards and backwards: a period of great illusions is always followed by a period of deep austerity. At the end of more than a decade we have not yet found a way to get rid of this recurrent situation.

Current circumstances were particularly promising to carry out a serious effort to establish in Portugal a political culture of dialogue and compromise similar to that which exists in most European democracies.
I recall that, in the European Union, 75% of average sized countries, such as Portugal, are governed on a basis of political compacts among a fair number of parties.

Our economic and financial situation is extremely serious. A high risk exists that the Portuguese are obliged to suffer new and heavier sacrifices – and all the parties are well aware of this.

In such times of emergency, it is a fundamental duty to fight for the best solution, for the solution that brings stronger hope for the Portuguese, by appealing to the sense of responsibility of the politicians and that they place the higher national interests above the interests of their parties.

The solution I proposed is undoubtedly that which best serves national interest, and I have solid reasons to believe that the parties that subscribed the Memorandum of Understanding share this opinion. All the more since the Social Democrat Party, the Socialist Party and the CDS-Popular Party commenced negotiations to achieve a Commitment for National Deliverance.

I gave my unequivocal support for this Commitment to be achieved since the very first hour. I regret that, after six days of joint work, the three parties were unable to reach the expected understanding.

I do not wish to recriminate any party.

I underline the Historical importance of this new attitude of acceptance of dialogue and the public recognition of the need to achieve wide agreements in matters that are determining for our collective future.

I feel satisfied by the fact the leaders of the majority parties and those of the largest opposition party have proved to the Portuguese that it is important to dialogue and to reach consensus, such as was underlined by the economic agents and by the social partners.

The ideal solution was not reached, but there was general recognition of the importance of a political culture of compromise.

I believe that seeds were sown, and that such seeds will fructify in the future. Sooner or later, an enlarged inter-party agreement will be made compelling by the evolution of the Country’s political, economic and social reality, such as is the case in the major number of average sized European countries.

I am equally convinced that citizens have now a better conscience of the need for a consensus amongst the parties that subscribed the Memorandum of Understanding, this being the solution that better serves the national interest and that better contributes towards the improvement of the living conditions of the Portuguese.

Portuguese,

In democracy there are always solutions for political crises.

In my communiqué to the Country I very clearly presented the reasons why I consider that, in the current context of national emergency, the calling of early elections is not a solution for the issues being faced by Portugal.

As such, since a Commitment for National Deliverance was not possible to achieve, I consider that the best alternative solution is for the current Government to continue in office, with strengthened guarantees of cohesion and soundness in the two-party coalition until the end of the legislature.

Since the Executive has the support of an unequivocal Parliamentary majority, as has been recently shown, it should be clear both in the view of the Portuguese and in that of our European partners, that Portugal is a governable country.

The Government, which has always been fully in office, must carry out an increased effort to keep up the means of dialogue that have now been opened. It is essential to safeguard the spirit of opening to compromise shown throughout a week of inter-party negotiations.

Dialogue must be deepened with social partners and economic agents, who have shown, throughout all this process, an admirable sense of responsibility. Their contribution must be valued and their proposals given the best regard,

It is essential that the two parties that comprise the coalition are programmed, durably and unequivocally, to successfully conclude the Programme of Financial Assistance and the Country’s return to the markets, in order to ensure the normal financing of the State and the economy.

This immediately implies the approval and entry into force of the State Budget in January 2014.

It is also understood as fundamental that the whole Government provides top priority to the strengthening of measures for re-launching the economy and to fight unemployment.

In a demanding and strict framework, the Government must reinforce the measures to provide stimulus for investment, which include the stability and predictability of the fiscal system.

On another hand, the partners of the governmental coalition must jointly endeavour to create conditions to carry out, firmly and credibly, the negotiations with the international institutions demanded by the Portuguese situation.

The coalition parties presented to the President of the Republic additional guarantees of the existence of a sound understanding to achieve such objectives and also the information that the Government will place a motion of confidence with Parliament and will then define the main guides of economic and social policy until the end of the legislature.

Lastly, I want to assert to the Portuguese that, since the current Government continues fully in office, the President of the Republic will never abdicate of any of the powers attributed to him by the Constitution.

The guarantees of governance and the exercise of constitutional competences of each sovereign body are the best sign of confidence we must give to the Portuguese.

Good evening.