The Prime Minister on Thursday believed that the past eight years have been a period of better relations between sovereign bodies and expressed confidence that the President of the Republic will adapt to the new head of government emerging from the elections.
António Costa spoke during the government’s Christmas greeting session for the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the Palácio de Belém – an act in which he participated for the eighth and final time as Prime Minister.
“For reasons well known to you, this moment comes two years earlier than expected. It is not only a time to wish you happy holidays, but also a time to say goodbye, as it is the last Christmas we spend together in our roles as Prime Minister and President of the Republic”began by emphasizing the executive leader at the beginning of his intervention.
António Costa then repeated the idea that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had given him to “be annoyingly optimistic”, but to talk about the future when a new prime minister is appointed after the parliamentary elections on March 10.
“I know you have never experienced being President with another Prime Minister. I have already had the opportunity to be Prime Minister with another President of the Republic”he noted, in a reference to Aníbal Cavaco Silva.
In this context, António Costa has tried to leave a guarantee: “What I can assure you is that we are getting used to it. The styles are very different, but we are getting used to it.”
“So I think he will definitely get used to it and be able to do well”the Prime Minister insisted, addressing the head of state.
António Costa then referred to the eight years during which he was Prime Minister and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa President of the Republic, and spoke of happy and unhappy moments during this period.
“In any case, these were eight years which, from the point of view of institutional relations, the Portuguese will essentially remember as perhaps the best periods of relations between sovereign bodies. I doubt there have been so many periods of such good coexistence. between sovereign bodies, which means no coincidence of positions, especially if we come from different political families”commented António Costa.
Source: DN
