State Council completed analysis of the situation in Portugal and confirmed support for Ukraine

The State Council on Tuesday reaffirmed Ukraine’s support for Portugal “with full agreement between sovereign political bodies” at a two-and-a-half-hour meeting that concluded its analysis of the situation in Portugal.

This information is contained in a note published almost an hour after the end of the meeting of the political advisory body of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, held at the Belen Palace in Lisbon.

“The analysis of the political, economic and social situation has been completed,” said a communiqué circulated to journalists, which says nothing about this agenda item, “in order to conclude the meeting of the State Council held on July 21 last year.”

With regard to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, “solidarity and admiration for the resistance of the Ukrainian people were confirmed, as well as all the support that Portugal – by agreement between sovereign bodies – has been given in its many dimensions, namely political, diplomatic, military-humanitarian”.

According to a note issued by the Presidency of the Republic, “Portugal’s commitment to the process of Ukraine’s integration into the European Union and NATO was also emphasized.”

It was the 31st political body of the presidential consultations convened by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and one of the shortest of his mandates.

This was reported as a follow-up meeting on the previous July 21 meeting on the political, economic and social situation in the country, which lasted four and a half hours and ended without announcing the conclusions.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that at the meeting on July 21, after all the members of the Council of State had spoken, “the possible final intervention of the Prime Minister was expected”, as well as his “final intervention” on the situation in the country – which has guided him until today .

The second item on the agenda of this meeting, the head of state included an assessment of the international situation, paying special attention to Ukraine, where he was in August.

This political advisory body, chaired by the Head of State, includes as integral members the President of the Assembly of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the President of the Constitutional Court, the Ombudsman, the Presidents of Regional Governments and former Presidents of the Republic. .

According to the constitution, it also includes five citizens appointed by the head of state – António Lobo Xavier, Luis Marques Méndez, Leonor Belesa, António Damasio and Lidia Jorge – and five citizens elected by the Assembly of the Republic, who are currently Carlos Cesar, Manuel Alegre, António Sampaio da Novoa, Francisco Pinto Balseman and Miguel Cadilla.

The July 21 meeting was announced in May following a public disagreement between the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister over the retention of João Galamba as Minister of Infrastructure, when the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the political tutelage of the administration of the TAR.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, however, noted at the time that he did not convene his political advisory body “for the exercise of presidential powers” such as the resignation of the government or the dissolution of parliament.

“I do not plan any specific actions as the State Council. Unless I understand that there is a reason to talk with the Portuguese on a certain issue. I will decide this after hearing the State Council,” he said.