Outgoing Prime Minister António Costa said this Friday that he will leave the European Council after eight years “with pride” for Portugal’s fiscal evolution and its political stability, highlighting the “complimentary words” he heard at the last meeting.
“No regrets. I have to admit, with some modesty, that I even leave with some pride, trying to remember how it all started eight years ago, with a lot of skepticism about the possibility that we will be able to comply with European rules,” he said. pursue “the primacy of power” and turn the page on austerity,” said António Costa.
Speaking to Portuguese journalists in Brussels at the end of his last European Council meeting, after representing Portugal at 74 summits held since the end of 2015, the Prime Minister recalled that since the country emerged from the excessive deficit procedure in 2017 2023 he managed to finish the year “with a positive budget balance” and already “far from the pedestal of the three countries with the largest debt.”
“This is a trajectory that the country can safely follow in accordance with the established measures and within the established calendar,” he noted.
António Costa also said that he takes “some pride” in the fact that Portugal “has been one of the most stable countries” politically in these eight years.
“Few of my colleagues remain on the Council [Europeu]”, said the outgoing prime minister.
Referring to the “good relations” that Portugal maintains with the heads of government and state of other member states, António Costa added that the country has “always been part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
On Thursday, the first day of the European Council, a farewell video was broadcast with António Costa, who was also presented with a statuette depicting the European Council headquarters building.
“The ceremony was the same for the three prime ministers,” the Portuguese, as well as the Bulgarians and the Irish, who also attended their last European Council this Friday.
António Costa also noted the “pleasant and complimentary words” he heard from European Council President Charles Michel on this matter.
A source at the European Council told Lusa that António Costa received a “memorable gift” – an “artistic impression of the Europa building, the symbolic headquarters” of the institution.
The sculpture was created by Maxime Duterre, a young industrial designer and artist born in Brussels.
Also on Thursday, Charles Michel thanked outgoing Prime Minister António Costa on Portugal’s social media site.
As Prime Minister since November 2015, António Costa was, until this Friday, Portugal’s representative in the European Council, one of the most experienced among his EU colleagues.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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