With Chega in his sights, but without saying so explicitly, the president of the republic took advantage of the December 1/Reparation Day celebration to praise Portugal’s gypsy community, a permanent target of criticism from André Ventura’s party.
In a post on the Presidency’s website, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa wrote that “in remembering so many Portuguese, of so many origins, who became involved in the revolutionary movement” that saved Spain from independence from Portugal on December 1, 1640, it is to “to also remember the Portuguese of Gypsy ethnicity who, as King D. João IV himself acknowledged at the time, gave their lives for our national independence”.
“This duty of remembrance is of basic justice and breaks with so much neglect and discrimination that Gypsies are sadly targeted in our country.”
And he continued: “The noble knight Jerónimo da Costa and many of the two hundred and fifty other gypsies who served on the frontier” fell “in the manner of dress and place of the natives” for Portugal” In other words, “Portugal remembers them, pays tribute to them and expresses gratitude” and “this duty of remembrance is of elementary justice” because “it breaks with so much neglect and discrimination that Gypsies have unfortunately been targeted in our country”.
The PR agenda yesterday included Praça dos Restauradores, in Lisbon, where the ceremony in honor of the heroes of the Restoration, organized by the City Council of Lisbon and by the Historical Society of Independence of Portugal, was presided over. He laid a wreath of flowers next to the Restoration Monument. He then visited the exhibition “The Diário de Notícias and the commemorations of December 1 (from the end of the monarchy to the 1st Republic)” at the Independence Palace.
For health reasons, the Prime Minister missed the ceremony at Restauradores and sent Defense Minister Helena Carreiras in his place. In a post on Twitter, António Costa wrote: “Restoring the holiday of December 1, due to the symbolism of the date, is one of the measures I am most proud to have taken as Prime Minister. Let’s appreciate our history. Let’s honor the Republic. Let’s celebrate the sovereignty and strength of our national flag.”
Today we celebrate the restoration of independence from #Portugal, a date that evokes the affirmation of our nation and our sovereignty. We honor the memory of those who fought and contributed to this achievement.
Antonio Costa (@antoniocostapm) December 1, 2022
In her speech, the Defense Minister reaffirmed the need to “protect the achievements of the Restoration on a daily basis”. In “382 years after December 1, Portugal now faces a different set of challenges. While its independence is not directly threatened, it is still necessary to protect the Restoration gains on a daily basis,” he said. And this independence “finds its meaning not in closure, but in openness to the other, not in isolation, but in cooperation” – that is, it is “an independence strengthened by the affirmation of the values of democracy, the the rule of law and human rights, with an appreciation for diversity and pluralism”.
“There have been several times when we knew that direct interests prevailed over national interests. That is why December 1 is so important today.”
Another participant in the ceremony, the host Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon, believed that December 1 teaches that the “political class must set an example of commitment for the common good”, unable to “close in on itself” yourself” or consider yourself “immune to criticism”.
“There have been several times when this irresponsibility has reigned supreme in our long history. There have been several times when we knew that direct interests prevailed over national interests. That is why December 1 is so important today,” he said. The mayor added that “the great lesson” of Portugal’s restoration of independence day is that “the political class must set an example of commitment to the common good and leadership capacity”, “protect institutions with vision and ambition” and “listening to everyone”.
Source: DN
