Portugal and Spain will resume their Iberian summits in October, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced today, guaranteeing that no “party differences” could “put the bilateral or European cooperation relationship between the two countries in crisis”.
“There are no party differences that can put in crisis for a second or a millimeter the relationship that we have deepened for centuries for the benefit of the people,” said Luís Montenegro, at a press conference in Madrid alongside his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sánchez.
Social Democrat Luís Montenegro made his first official visit as prime minister today and chose Madrid as his destination. He was received at the Moncloa, the seat of the Spanish government, by Socialist Pedro Sánchez.
At the end of the meeting, both men highlighted the good relations between Portugal and Spain, both bilaterally and within the European Union and other international and multilateral institutions, and guaranteed that they will continue to do so, with the two governments promising to continue working together, despite the fact that they are now executives of different colors and political families, one on the right and the other on the left.
“Today’s news is that our good bilateral relations will continue to strengthen. Our governments will continue to work for the benefit of the Portuguese and the Spanish. And we will continue to drive forward a Europe that must be more competitive, resilient and, above all, and I stress, more social. And we will definitely do it together,” said Pedro Sánchez, who guaranteed that Montenegro “can count on a brother country, a friend and an ally” in Spain.
Luís Montenegro also spoke of a relationship of “deep friendship, cooperation and good relations” that will continue and that Portugal and Spain will continue to travel “together” on all “paths” bilaterally, within the European Union and in the rest of the world.
On a bilateral level, both reiterated, among other things, common commitments to implement rail, road and energy links, many of them related to the resilience and recovery plans and other European funds.
Montenegro revealed that the Iberian summits, which are held annually, will be resumed and this year’s, which will be in Portugal, will take place in the second half of October, with the two governments already working on the meeting, whose precise date and venue will be announced at a later date.
The meeting with Sánchez was the only item on the Prime Minister’s public agenda in Madrid.
A source in Luís Montenegro’s office revealed that the PSD leader also had a private meeting with the president of the Spanish People’s Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, during his visit to Madrid.
