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

Good evening,

I wish all Portuguese a Happy New Year, with plentiful peace and hope.

The year that has just ended was marked by the financial aid agreement established with the European Union and with the International Monetary Fund, an agreement that became inevitable due to the urgent need to ensure the financing of the State and of our economy.

In the social sense, 2011 made a deep impression in the lives of many Portuguese and left an almost generalized painful imprint of unemployment, of economic difficulties and anxiety as to what the future could bring. Difficulties will not be any less in the year that is just starting and this is a reality that cannot be eluded.

Official forecasts indicate a heavy fall in national production and an increase in unemployment.

There is a growing conviction that 2012 will demand great sacrifices from the majority of the Portuguese and such difficulties will be more tellingly felt in the day-to-day lives of our families.

I am particularly concerned over the unemployed, the aged and the pensioners, over the small entrepreneurs who will be unable to withstand the crisis and over the children whose parents suffer a sudden reduction in their income.

I am well aware of the anxiety of thousands of young people who are not encountering the paths with which they had dreamt, many of whom are trying their luck away from their families and from their Country, when they are so greatly needed here.

In 2012 the President of the Republic will be where he should: standing by those who need support, bringing them a word of friendliness and hope.

Portugal must comply with the objectives set in the Programme of Financial aid that it subscribed with the international institutions that lent us the funds we urgently require.

We have to reduce the imbalance in the public accounts, control external indebtedness and carry out the necessary reforms required to improve the competitiveness of our economy

In addition to complying with the international obligations we assumed, we all have to give our best to preserve national cohesion and to guarantee a future in which the Portuguese recognize that their sacrifices were worth while. This is the crucial challenge that we are facing.

Recently, the European Commission recognized that it was not possible to construe an economic union solely on the base of budgetary discipline and sanctions; economic growth and creation of employment would also be required.

We can equally state that overcoming the challenges that Portugal is facing demands, in addition to strict budgetary practices, an agenda guided towards growth of the economy and employment.

Without this, the social situation could become unsustainable and the Country’s external confidence and credibility not be recovered.

We have to muster entrepreneurs and workers to take advantage of the opportunities for investment and for the increase in the production of goods and services that compete with foreign production, the main lever for growth that the Country possesses at this time.

We have to learn how to take advantage of the dynamism and talents of the Portuguese communities spread over the world, which I greet very specially.

Social cohesion is extremely relevant for economic growth, to contain unemployment and to lessen the costs of the resolution of the grievous imbalances existing in the Portuguese economy.

This is why I have insistently emphasized the importance of the equitable distribution of the sacrifices demanded from the Portuguese, of the fight against inequalities, of the aid to the needier and unprotected, of the constructive dialogue between the Government and the opposition and of the broadening of social consultation.

A fruitful dialogue between the social partners, concerning the measures directed towards the improvement in company productivity will obviously be a positive contribution to reduce conflict and tensions and to create a more favourable social climate for the increase in national wealth, in investment and in the fight against unemployment.

A genuine opening to compromise is expected from all the participants in social consolidation, in order that the consensus that the Country so much requires may be reached to mitigate the currently experienced duress.

Cohesion is also based upon solidarity. I am certain that, in 2012, we will be able to maintain and even deepen the spirit of solidarity that is a characteristic of our People.

I have witnessed the notable work carried out by the many civil and religious social solidarity institutions and by the thousands of volunteers who, throughout the Country, are dedicated to help those that have little or even nothing. To them all I address my warmest greetings.

The European Union is going through times of great uncertainty that negatively affect our economy. We cannot expect Europe to resolve issues for which we are responsible.

But the difficult situation that the Country is experiencing must not prevent us from having an active voice in the defence of an answer to the crisis in the euro zone that includes a European strategy for the promotion of economic and employment growth, driven particularly towards the young unemployed.

The crisis that Portugal is going through is an opportunity for us to think of our renewal as a Country. We are proud of our history and we want to continue to hold our heads high.

We lived a long time with the illusion of easy consumerism, the State spent and wasted too many resources, we reached an indebtedness far above what would be reasonable and thus an “explosive situation”, as I called it precisely two years ago, when I advised the Portuguese of the risks that we were running.

We now have to follow a different course, we have to change our habits and build a healthy economy.

We are all responsible. This is the time when all Portuguese are called upon to give their best to help Portugal to overcome its difficulties. Working more and investing in quality, combating waste, preferring national products. Obviating selfishness, the idea of easy profits and lack of respect for the others.

No Portuguese is exempt from this fight for the future of his Country.

This is a time to unite efforts. We will gain nothing in fighting amongst ourselves and in senseless conflicts. We must not deflect energies from what is essential to face our current challenges.

It is not by fighting each other that we can overcome the crisis.

Elections were held a short while ago, the Government has an ample parliamentary majority and the opposition exercises legitimately the action pertaining to it in a consolidated democracy.

It is the politicians’ duty to explain to the Portuguese the bases of their decisions and they must be the first to cherish the seeds of a new hope, acting with justice, consideration and social sensitivity.

2012 will be a year of sacrifices for many Portuguese. But it will equally be a year when the fibre of our People will come to the fore.

We will not resign ourselves. We are a People that gain height the greater the adversity and the more difficult it is to overcome.

It is at such times that the Portuguese are able to overtake themselves and surprise all and sundry.

I believe in the Portuguese. The civility, courage and sense that they have shown in these difficult times are worthy of respect and great admiration.

Portugal is greater than the crisis in which we live.

I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that 2012 may bring to all families and to all Portuguese, wherever they may be, signs of hope for a better future.

To you all I renew my wishes for a New Year with Peace, Health and Happiness.

Good evening.