The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, was received this Tuesday at the Royal Palace in Brussels by the Belgian Kings Philippe and Mathilde, and at the Federal Parliament, at the start of his state visit to Belgium.
The program for the head of state’s visit was adjusted for security reasons following the shooting on Monday evening in the Belgian capital, where the alert level was raised to the maximum level.
The welcome ceremony that was supposed to take place outside the Royal Palace and the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Congress Square did not take place as they took place on public roads.
The bilateral meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, which was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, was also canceled.
The President of the Republic was received at 11 a.m. local time (10 a.m. in Lisbon) by Kings Philippe and Mathilde at the Royal Palace, where there was an official photo, presentation of delegations and signing of the Golden Book, in the Empire Hall of the Portuguese Head of State before the media, followed by an exchange of gifts.
About an hour later, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa met at the Federal Parliament with the presidents of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, Eliane Tillieux, and the Senate, Stephanie D’Hose.
He is accompanied on this trip by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, and deputies of the six parties with factions: Marta Temido, from the PS, Gabriela Fonseca, from the PSD, Rui Paulo Sousa, from Chega, Joana Cordeiro, of the Liberal Initiative, Alfredo Maia, of the PCP, and Pedro Filipe Soares, parliamentary leader of the Left Bloc.
After lunch at the Royal Palace, today’s program for the President of the Republic includes a meeting with the Mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close, and a banquet hosted by the Kings at the Royal Castle of Laeken.
A shooting took place in the Belgian capital on Monday evening that left two people dead, prompting Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to cancel a trip after dinner and stay at the hotel, as advised by authorities.
However, this morning, Belgian police shot a man suspected of this attack.
During his state visit to Belgium, between today and Thursday, the President of the Republic will visit the three regions of the country: Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa told journalists on Monday that he considers this three-day visit “with great hope and as a priority”, which “corresponds to the return” of the state visit that Kings Philip and Mathilde made to Portugal in 2018. .
According to the President of the Republic, “Ukraine on the one hand and what is happening in the Middle East on the other are obviously topics on the agenda of their institutional meetings, as well as “relations between Europe and the Middle East”. Africa , and Europe and Latin America”.
At the bilateral level, the Head of State emphasized that “Belgium is today a very important country in the Portuguese economy; over the last ten years it has become one of the eight most important countries in terms of trade for Portugal”.
In October 2018, while receiving the kings of Belgium in Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa called the two countries “close allies” and “friends”, in the European Union, the United Nations and NATO, with a “common role”. for peace on a global level.
Previously, in March 2017, the President of the Republic visited the European institutions in Brussels and was received on that occasion by the Kings of Belgium.
Jorge Sampaio was the last Portuguese president to pay a state visit to Belgium in October 2005, also for three days.
Belgium is the 19th country to receive a state visit from Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, after Mozambique, Switzerland, Cuba, Cape Verde, Senegal, Croatia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Sao Tome and Principe, Greece, Egypt, Spain, Angola, China, Ivory Coast, Italy, India and Ireland.
Source: DN
