Portugal’s President gave his New Year’s speech and made it clear that, although things look good economically, the tragedies of last summer’s fires left a gap in the government’s ability to respond to its people’s needs.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa warned the Government that the tragedies and failures in tackling the fires can not be repeated and demanded of the António Costa government to look at "the many forgotten Portuguese" who live in the interior of the country.
Marcelo said the first six months of 2017 had been marked by good economic results but after the second half, the Portuguese people need reaffirmation that their security is being taken seriously even though there is government stability, sounded financial management, growing employment and rising income levels."
More action is needed to combat poverty and inequalities, as well as keeping peole safe, "It is to make sure that, in critical moments, the essential missions of the State do not fail nor that it evades its responsibilities," he warned.
"We must convert the tragedies into a reason for change, so that they do not live on as a reminder of irrecoverable failure."
For the first time, a President of the Republic spoke to the country live - and from his home in Cascais, rather than the grandeur of his official palace. This may also have been more comfortable for Rebelo de Sousa as he recovers from surgery for a hernia.
