President launches Portugal Day celebrations in Azores

President António José Seguro is arriving in the Azores later this morning, for the Portugal Day celebrations that will this year take place on Terceira island – the home of the air base used by the Americans, that has been so much in the news recently.

The president has chosen Azorean university professor, and specialist in international relations, Miguel Monjardino, born on the island, in Angra do Heroísmo, to preside over this year’s June 10 celebrations – the first of his presidential term – for which the official flag-raising ceremony is scheduled for 3pm local time at Pátio da Alfândega in Angra do Heroísmo.

Over last few days, ahead of celebrations in Portugal, the president marked Portugal Day abroad, alongside Portuguese emigrés and their families in Luxembourg, where he was accompanied by Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro.

Today, the president will meet with the Republic’s representative in the Azores, Susana Goulart Costa, another local person, and the first woman appointed to the post (by President Seguro in April).

Tomorrow (a national Bank Holiday), the military ceremony for Portugal Day will take place at Cerrado do Bailão, in Angra do Heroísmo, with speeches by the president and Miguel Monjardino.

Portugal Day is being celebrated on Terceira Island at a time when the use of the Lajes Air Base by the United States, in the context of the war against Iran, has sparked controversy. Portugal’s president has not commented on this matter in public so far.

On the subject of security and defence, António José Seguro has stated that the European Union “cannot continue to be dependent on the United States” and must strengthen its “strategic autonomy”, with “greater coordination, better investment and a truly shared vision”, seeking “economies of scale” and opting to “buy European”.

On relations with the United States, he argues that they should continue to be “one of the cornerstones of European policy”, but as “a partnership between equals, in which Europe asserts its interests, brings its weight to bear and does not compromise on its values”, even when this entails “tensions with Washington”.

In the Azores, current regional governor José Manuel Boleiro has also called for a review of the Bilateral Defense and Cooperation Agreement that has been in place between the United States and Portugal for decades, saying it is time for Portugal to start receiving compensation for the U.S. use of its territory, given that the ‘geostrategic value” of Lajes has clearly increased exponentially. Boleiro stressed that compensation would be “an act of justice”. But he recognised that it is a theme that cannot be discussed in the short-term.

Meantime, today the president will meet with young people at the Youth Academy in the town of Praia da Vitória, receive greetings from the diplomatic corps accredited in Portugal at the Palácio dos Capitães-Generais, and attend a concert in Praça Velha, Angra do Heroísmo, followed by a fireworks display in Angra Bay.

Tomorrow, following the military ceremony, the Head of State’s programme includes lunch at the Porto Judeu Multipurpose Pavilion and the ceremony to lower the national flag.

António José Seguro, who took office as the president on March 9, has decided to continue the model of dual celebrations for June 10 – in Portugal and amongst Portuguese emigré communities abroad – initiated by his predecessor, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in 2016.

On March 18, the new Head of State announced that Terceira Island and Luxembourg would host this year’s official celebrations. According to a statement released at the time by the presidency office, the choice of Terceira Island “holds special significance as it pays tribute to regional autonomy, which this year marks 50 years since its enshrinement in the Constitution”.

Source: LUSA