The president of the republic assumed this Friday that the “fundamental idea” of bringing Portugal Day celebrations to Régua and the Douro was to draw attention to “the interiors that are sometimes forgotten” on the continent.
“The fundamental idea of bringing Portugal Day to Peso da Régua, to the Douro, was to draw attention to the sometimes forgotten interiors of mainland Portugal”said the president of the republic, as he walked the streets of the city to greet the populace and take “selfies” with the many who approached him.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa anticipated his arrival in Peso da Régua this morning, as he insisted on being present at the rehearsals of the military parade, which will take place on Saturday, Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities Day.
As commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he wanted to be “in the same rain” as the many soldiers concentrated in the city of the district of Vila Real from different parts of the country.
But coming earlier and being in Régua longer, he added, is also a “way to get people’s attention”.
“Come here if you can, contribute to the economy of this region, understand the problems of this region, understand what it is rich in, the Douro wine, but also what it needs, the access, the difficulties of coming here life, the inequalities in many aspects, in education or health or in the economy,” he said.
When asked if June 10 in Régua is also a way to honor the Douro and its winegrowers, the president of the republic replied: “Of course”.
“Because the Douro is made up of tens of thousands of wine producers, going from Guarda and Viseu to the border in Trás-os-Montes and then the different ‘Douros’ (…) And looking at them and their problems, I think it’s very fair , ‘he said.
The President of the Republic recalled the “great difficulties” in growing wine in this area, “with very great uncertainties, with sometimes major crises affecting producers and then with difficulties in binding people to the areas, the most recent so that they stay here.”
Marcelo said interiority will be present in his Portugal Day speech.
“That is always the case, but it is clear that here in the Douro I have to talk about the lesson that the Douro offers us, and at the same time project it into the country, because I speak for the country and for the country that is spreading.” in the world,” he said.
Douro is the European city of wine in 2023.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also showed that he has followed the difficulties that have hit farmers this year.
“Farmers have been hit by two opposing phenomena this year: it was the drought, a little bit across the continent, and then it was the emergence of unusual rains and then a lot of hail,” he said, emphasizing that this “causes culture problems”, the quantity and quality of what is produced” and “the daily practice of those who produce”.
As for agricultural support, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that the “problem of mechanisms [de apoio] in agriculture it is sometimes the time between when the needs that need the support arise and when the support is received”.
“Time has shortened, but still, in the lives of those who produce, a week, or a month, or two months, or three months makes a difference,” he noted.
This Friday afternoon, the president of the republic wants to understand how trade, restaurants are doing, what the perspective is for the summer in terms of tourism and how people here live beyond tourism.
In the Douro Museum, from 8 p.m., the greetings of the diplomatic corps accredited in Portugal to the President of the Republic will take place, where the Prime Minister, António Costa, will join for a “cocktail” and “representative cultural animation of the region “.
Then, at 9:30 p.m., Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and António Costa will attend a concert in the same place in commemoration of the Day of Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities, open to the population, by the Army Orchestra of Ligeira.
The day program ends with a commemorative fireworks display from the Douro River.
Source: DN
