It is not enough to promote the image of Portugal
The statements by the President of the Republic caused controversy, considering that the situation in Ukraine opens up opportunities for Portugal. In my opinion, as sought after next to the meaning of the message. I do not think that any suggestion of taking advantage of other people’s misfortune seems at stake, but that we are entering a new reality, in geopolitical terms and in terms of economic relations, within the EU and the EU with the world, which we can and we must try to conquer part of the space that was previously occupied by third parties.
Something mentioned in the intervention, besides saying that in addition to Portugal being a safe destination, there are other more important things.
In between, the bet on strengthening the EU, the population numbers, which give us very positive results in large sectors, such as engineering demands. The fact of a consistent investment policy in renewable energies, and that we have, once made as characteristics of Central Europe, a promising infrastructure, both for transitional energies, such as gas, and the future in hydrogen. Characteristics that make us potential partners with other member states that will significantly reduce their energy dependence on Russia and achieve the green transition. And yet, despite the value of intramural resources, teaching and research institutions and human resources with recognized powers.
In the last week, I participated in two events in which Portugal was in great prominence, on the positive side, compared to the other countries of the European Union.
Between 23 and 25 May, the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) carried out a mission to Lisbon. This includes high-level contacts with various government officials, including the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education and the Secretaries of State for Environment and Climate Action and for Digitization and Administrative Modernization. The MEPs, coming from several member states, also met with CIP officials and teaching and research institutions and reference innovation centers, such as the Champalimaud Foundation, Nova SBE and Tagus Park. A smaller group of deputies was also in Porto, to visit the I3S – Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, and to bring together researchers from IPATIMUP and ICBAS in the area of cancer.
This Monday, I was at the Hannover Fair, highlighted in Germany, the largest world event in Germany highlighted, which this year has as a country in. I accompanied our Prime Minister’s visit to the Portuguese Pavilion, in the company of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. And it’s not because we have different policy nuclei that we fail to say that António Costa showed a good knowledge of the reality of Portuguese industry and his commitment to promoting it at that fair.
The problem, as journalist Joana Petiz has already written here on DN, is that the prime minister has to do more than be a good representative of Portugal abroad. It has from our principles of fairness as favorable, investment in terms of simplicity and functioning, to investment favorable to innovation and country in functioning. With an absolute majority, he has no excuse not to.
It should be noted that this is not a problem unique to our country. The European Commission has, in particular, an attempt at over-regulation, rather than as conditions, of investment incentives and de-bureaucratization, for economic promotion and the creation of green and digital transitions. This is what national and European companies expect and ask for. And that is why we fight in the European Parliament.
MEP