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António Costa began by praising the example in Autoeuropa, which resumed production, as proof that “it is possible to return to work safely”, albeit in a different way than those previously known.
“It is evident that today we can only return to work in conditions that are not normal”, giving as examples the need to wear a mask, have a greater distance, have disinfectant material available and even change clothes so as not to take the new coronavirus home .
Then, Costa took the opportunity to leave two messages, two reflections, to Europe, namely:
“If we want to confidently confront our ability to be an important center of industrial production, we have to shorten value chains, not depend so much on supplies from other continents or places on the European continent that offer less quality or institutional security. on the contrary, it is necessary to concentrate the value chains in countries where institutional quality provides security and reduces the risks of disruption, “he said.
In a second analysis, he recalled that “99% of Autoeuopa’s production is for export” and that the challenge ahead is not only to recover the Portuguese economy, but also the European one. “The European Union’s response cannot be tailored to each country. Either we all resume at the same time, or no one can resume in isolation.”
Taking the motto left by the Prime Minister, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who was also present on this visit, he asked Europe to respond “urgently” to this challenge.
“We hope for Europe, and we urgently, urgently await a word of affirmation, of faith, of the future. And that word has to be given quickly. It means reconstruction, solidarity, it means walking towards horizons that are the ones that justified the birth.” Europe, “said Marcelo.
“And if we expect Europe to rise to the occasion, we [também] We trust Portugal and the Portuguese, “said Marcelo, emphasizing the ability to work together to overcome the crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic on a social and economic level.” Here we will all be, that this is a team spirit that did not break, building a better Portugal “.
Costa challenges Marcelo to reelection
The Prime Minister also said today that he hopes to return with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to the Autoeuropa factory in Palmela, after the re-election of the current President of the Republic, in the first year of his new term in 2021.
António Costa made this allusion to the possible reelection of the head of state at the end of an hour and a half visit to Autoeuropa, with the head of state at his side, as well as the economy minister, Pedro Siza Vieira.
According to the Prime Minister, in relation to Autoeuropa, “a new tradition has been established for the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister to visit it together.”
“It was like this in 2016, in the first year of the President of the Republic, and now it was in the last year of his current mandate. I have a good symbolic date to propose to make a third visit together and share a meal with Autoeuropa employees: The third date is in the first year of the next term of the President of the Republic, “said António Costa.
The government will acquire a car in each of the four industries installed in Portugal
The Prime Minister said today that the Presidency of the Council of Ministers will soon acquire a car in each of the four units that produce vehicles from scratch in Portugal, giving a sign of confidence in this industry.
“Returning to the sign of confidence that the automotive industry has shown in the country, we would also like to give a sign of confidence in what is the future of the automotive industry in Portugal. Therefore, in the coming weeks, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers will proceed with the acquisition of a vehicle in each of the four industrial units that in Portugal produce cars from scratch, “said António Costa.
In his speech, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the automobile sector for the national economy and said that, among suppliers and producers, it represents “an important part of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP)”.
“This is perhaps one of the industrial sectors in which dependence on value and supply chains is most evident, but also the need for a recovery of the economy on a global scale,” he defended.
