Angela Merkel in Lisbon
In Lisbon, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister António Costa were united in their unequivocal commitment to Europe. At the close of the Chancellor’s two-day visit to Portugal, they discussed the challenges facing Europe.
The EU must stand united in the face of global challenges, said Angela Merkel
Photo: Bundesregierung/Denzel
With a view to Brexit and the difficulties of forming a government in Italy they agreed, reported Chancellor Angela Merkel, "Europe is currently in a difficult situation". "You don’t react to difficult situations by complaining, but by making the right decisions." Germany, in any case, will be open in its approach to the new government in Italy.
Angela Merkel underscored the need to work together to drive forward euro reforms. It is also important, she said, to complete the Banking and Capital Markets Union. The multiannual financial framework for the next EU budget should be adopted as soon as possible. The EU budget is an important psychological signal, because in the current situation it is "very important that Europe does all it can to ensure it is able to act at any time". Portugal and Germany will be working very intensively on this.
Porto, 30.05.18: Portugal's Prime Minister António Costa greets the Chancellor at the airport in Porto, in the north of the country.
A welcome with military honours
The programme began with a visit to Bosch's new development and technology centre in Braga.
Bosch's workforce of 4,000 makes it the largest industrial employer in the country.
The Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences, or i3S, has already registered 26 new patents. The institute is part of the university and brings together three renowned Portuguese biology institutes.
The i3S currently employs about 1,300 people. 900 scientists work in 64 different research groups.
In 2018 some130 scientific projects are to be conducted. The institute receives some of its funding from the European Research Council.
The visit ended with a discussion with students of the University of Porto.
Before dinner, António Costa and Angela Merkel took a stroll along the banks of the Douro.
It was the Chancellor's second visit to Portugal. She last visited the country almost six years ago.
Lisbon, 31.05.18: The second day of the Chancellor's trip started with a visit to the offiicial residence of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Palácio Nacional de Belém.
In the President's office a private meeting was held.
In Portugal's capital city, Angela Merkel met again with Prime Minister António Costa.
At the close of the Chancellor's visit, the two leaders met the press.
The Chancellor underscored the importance of a strong Europe. "We must forge ahead with EU reforms," she declared.
Europe must act at global level
The EU must stand united in the face of global challenges, in the fields of asylum and migration, and in addressing international conflicts. "We are called on to respond jointly in the field of foreign policy as in other areas, and to play a more proactive role in identifying ways of resolving, for instance, the conflicts in Syria, Libya and Ukraine," said Angela Merkel.
Discussions in a spirit of friendship
The Chancellor stressed the good and close relations that exist between the two countries. She is happy, she said, that Portugal is now in a much more optimistic economic situation than it was when she last visited, five years ago.
With Portugal’s Prime Minister António Costa the Chancellor opened a new Bosch technology and development centre on Wednesday in Braga, in the north of the country. She then visited a research centre at the University of Porto and discussed the future of Europe with students.