The Prime Minister responded this Friday to the so-called ‘frugal’ European Union, pointing to the returns inherent in many of the PRR’s investments, and seeking to highlight his government’s planning measures following the Covid-19 emergency to take.
These were two central lines of the speech made by António Costa during the signing ceremony of the contract for the construction of a multifunctional naval ship, the “D. João II”, which will cost 132 million euros with funds from the Recovery Plan and Resilience (PRR) . ) and also state investments.
The construction of this ship will be carried out by the Dutch shipyard Damen and the contract was signed at the Naval Museum, during a ceremony also attended by the Ministers of the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, and of Defense, Helena Carreiras, and the defense ministers. Head of State, Major of the Navy, Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo.
António Costa noted precisely that this contract for the construction of the ship was signed with a Dutch company, from a Member State traditionally opposed to an increase in contributions to the European Union and which has caused greater difficulties in concluding the agreement for creating a recovery and resilience mechanism.
Without ever referring to the growing Euroscepticism among voters in the Netherlands, the leader of the Portuguese executive said he is “particularly pleased that the contract has been signed with a Dutch company, which in fact shows that European solidarity is not only unequivocally is.” .
“An important part of the financing that the European Union provides to different countries is returned and distributed multiple times among different Member States, namely among the Member States that contribute most to the functioning of the European Union. With this solidarity we also strengthen the Union as a whole European”he declared.
In his intervention, António Costa also referred to the Covid-19 period, during which Admiral Gouveia e Melo led the organization of the first waves of vaccinations in Portugal, and praised the current Chief of Staff of the Navy for designing the project of Multifunctional Navy. Platform.
“The D. João II ship is a great opportunity to exploit knowledge and research in the maritime area and produce resources valued by the blue economy,” he said, before emphasizing that the PRR was designed “at a time when was very difficult” as the world faced the threat of a pandemic.
“At the same time that everyone is committed to fighting the pandemic, we had to prepare and build the post-pandemic future. These were difficult times to do everything at the same time, thinking about the emergency and making plans at the same time. the post-pandemic emergency. Fortunately, this could happen.”he concluded.
António Costa also emphasized in his speech the importance of the Navy in search and rescue missions, action in emergency situations and support to criminal police authorities, as it is “a great center for the production of knowledge, research and technological development”.
“The Navy has always been at the forefront,” he insisted.
The Multifunctional Naval Platform, the concept of which was developed by Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo, is a project financed by the PRR worth 94.5 million euros and with state resources corresponding to 37.5 million euros, with the investment being made in phases developed until 2026.
The Ship of the Portuguese Republic (NRP) D. João II will have advanced technology that allows ocean monitoring and oceanographic research, as well as the monitoring of marine ecology. It will also be capable of contingency operations, surveillance, scientific and technological research and environmental and meteorological monitoring, and will function as a ‘drone carrier’ in the air, on land and underwater.
Source: DN
