10 June: Marcelo praises emigrants for cementing relations with Andorra – where Portugal opens a consulate general | Portugal day
The President of the Republic praised the Portuguese who emigrated to Andorra in the 1960s, stating that they are the reason for the close ties between Portugal and the principality and promising to return until the end of his term. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa spoke at the Portuguese ceremonies commemorating the Day of Portugal, Camões and Communities in Andorra, a principality that has more than 9,000 residents.
The Portuguese community is already the third largest in Andorra, something that in the opinion of the President of the Republic was only possible through the emigration of “many compatriots”. “It was in the 1960s and 1970s. It reminds me of what this unique experience of the first generation of Portuguese was like”, maintained the head of state.
In front of a plaque “registration of university students, the President of the Republic during two Portuguese trips and the President of the Republic”. “They came and it was a paradise. Andorra who went to life give with your work“, said.
The Portuguese who live here “have two homelands”, as the head of state claims, and “they passed this on to their children, this to their grandchildren and they had easy and comfortable times”. “One in eight or nine” residents in Andorra are Portuguese, argued the President of the Republic, and it is this community that “guarantees that Portugal and Andorra are united forever”.
This was Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s third visit to Andorra since he became President and, in the end, he made the fourth promise: “It is impossible to stay with you in my heart. It’s impossible. He had to come for the third time in six years and three months of compulsion. I still have almost four years ahead of me. I have to go back at least once. I have to go back.”
Portugal will have a consulate general in Andorra la Vella – but it is not known when
Accompanying the President of the Republic on the visit, the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Paulo Cafôfo, announced that the Government is “preparing the opening of a consulate-general” of Portugal in Andorra la Vella, but there are still no details. “I know that it was desired, but that it was coveted, but above all, that it was deserved by this community that resides here”, said the minister, in his speech to Portuguese residents in Andorra.
The embassy zone 20 was worshiped in Portuguese services around access, for example, at a distance of mandatory citizen card to 2000. “This will be an opportunity to better” serve the citizens residing in Andorra, but also to “ better to assert its presence in the economic and cultural domains”, promised Paulo Cafôfo.
The intention is to “create more political weight, more administrative weight and the ability to intervene” with a community “that is growing” in the principality, which will be reinforced after the President of the Republic. “You can’t ignore that. In a growing community, there has to be a stronger response”, he added.
Support for bilateral treaties between Andorra and the EU
Portugal will Marcelo Andorra bilateral between the signing of a treaty and the European Union, said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, considering that the 27 will win “in integrating” the principality. The Portuguese President thus replied to an Andorran journalist who asked him about Portuguese support for Andorra’s claim.
“It is fundamental for the European Union (EU) [a assinatura desse tratado]it is fundamental for Portugal, it is fundamental for Andorra and it is fundamental for the bilateral relations between Portugal and Andorra”, added the Portuguese head of state.