During her official visit to Lisbon (Portugal), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, attends a formal sitting at the Portugese Assembly. Augusto SANTOS SILVA, the President of the Assembleia da República, gives his opening statement. The transcript is the result of an automated process. Please check against delivery.

official visit

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

EU - Portugal (T)

formal sitting

Portugal

Lisbon

president's agenda

SANTOS SILVA, Augusto (PT)

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Lisbon (Portugal) - Formal sitting at the Portuguese Assembly (Assembleia da República): opening statement by Augusto SANTOS SILVA, the President of the Assembleia da República

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da Rep&uacute;blica, Madam President of the European Parliament, members of the government, members of the European Parliament, ambassadors, distinguished guests. Ladies and gentlemen, Members of the Portuguese Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, I welcome the presence in the Assembly of the Republic of the President of the European Parliament, Mrs. Roberta Metsola, as part of her official visit to Portugal. Thank you for having accepted to participate in this debate in plenary session in which you will have the opportunity to address The House, listened to all parties and answer any questions put to you.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, This is the first time that a debate is being held with the President of the European Parliament in our Parliament. It will not be the last one. The Lisbon Treaty has strengthened both the role of the European Parliament and the role of national parliaments, and that makes perfect sense. A more assertive and cohesive Europe must be increasingly democratic, attentive to the voice of their citizens and the Parliaments that represent them.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, And the consolidation of the European institutions neither prejudices the diversity of Member States nor diminishes the relevance of decisions taking as close as possible to the people and the territories.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, The Portuguese Parliament is one of the parliament that is most interested in European construction, cooperating with the European Parliament and other national parliaments, pronouncing on matters within our competence, debating and supervising acts of government, dialoguing with the social partners, the local and regional authorities and the civil society. We make a point of honour in the permanent accompaniment of the European process.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, We always welcome our plurality of opinions as this debate will show. I'm not going to anticipate it, but I believe I can and must express the pro-European orientation that is widely in the majority in this House. And on that basis, I identify from among the vast number of issues currently defining the agenda of the European institutions, European Parliament, European Council Council and the European Commission.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, There are four issues that particularly motivate the attention of the Portuguese Parliament. The first one is the link between strengthening the European social model, namely by implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Development of Climate Action and Digital Transition.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, And in the face of voices calling for a brake on the fight against climate change, the supposedly satisfied public opinion. We need to be very clear. Climate action and the social pillar are not exchangeable. They are the two mutually indispensable dimensions to ensure a fair transition that leaves no one behind and does defend our common future.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, The second issue is the reform of the European institutions and rules in order to prepare the Union for new challenges. Not only the immediate challenge posed by the Russias war against Ukraine, but also the forthcoming enlargement, which will have a profound institutional and financial impact and the more general, geopolitical and geoeconomic change already underway.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, We know that the recipe imposed to respond to the 2010 sovereign debt crisis was unfair, counter-productive and caused great suffering. We also know that the response agreed to respond to COVID 19, accelerate the post-pandemic economic recovery while swift, fair, supportive and effective.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, Therefore, let us learn the necessary lessons and let us fiercely move forward to review the financial rules and resources so as to invest more in our security and safety, preserve other necessary investments, foster convergence, increase the Union's strategic autonomy, and provide it with the necessary tools to respond to future crises.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, The third issue concerns democratic values and the rule of law. Let us not exit to defend what is essential, the essential bases of the Union. That all candidates must accept and all Members must abide by.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, There can be within ourselves no such thing as so called illiberal democracies or purely electoral democracies. Illiberal democracy or electoral democracy, there is no such thing. Democracy in Europe, either it is liberal with a strong social aspect, or it's no democracy at all. Defending the rule of law and democratic institutions is together with social cohesion policies, the most powerful weapon against mistrust and populism.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, Last but not least, opening Europe to the world. This is an approach very dear to Portugal, which sees in its an application of democratic values and the basis for actions of the innermost importance, such as promoting multilateralism, supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression, consolidating the Atlantic Alliance, strengthening economic and political ties with Africa, Latin America and the Indo-Pacific region, providing humanitarian reception to refugees and promoting regular, orderly and safe migration channels.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Augusto SANTOS SILVA, President of the Assembleia da República, The European Union is a place in the world that best combines political democracy, social equality and economic development. Madam President of the European Parliament, you can count on the contribution of the Portuguese Parliament so that it may continue to be so, as it may become more and more so. Thank you very much.