See what Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa thinks about regional autonomy

The President of the Republic stressed today that regional autonomy is “one of the happiest and most fruitful achievements of democratic Portugal”, considering that “it is an element of national cohesion” that “heals conflicts instead of fostering them”.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa marked the Day of the Autonomous Region of Madeira and Madeiran Communities scattered around the world with a message published on the Presidency’s website, at a time when he was participating in a bilateral ceremony with the King of Spain, in Elvas and Badajoz , to mark the reopening of land borders between the two countries.

“Officially, the celebrations are restricted to the Autonomous Region, but, in substance, this is a celebration of the whole of Portugal. Because the regional autonomy, which we note today, was one of the happiest and most fruitful achievements of democratic Portugal ”, says the head of state.

In the view of the President of the Republic, “the autonomy of Madeira and the Azores is an element of national cohesion, a feature of unity among the Portuguese, which unites rather than separates, which heals conflicts instead of fostering them”.

“I am proud that, both as a constituent, in 1975-1976, and as one of the politicians responsible for the constitutional revisions of 1982 and 1997, I have fought since the very beginning for the autonomy of island regions and for the legitimate interests and desires of and Azorean people ”, vinca.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also points out that “the autonomic experience, predicted since the original version of the 1976 Basic Law and enriched in subsequent constitutional revisions, has been an absolutely crucial factor for the economic and social development of Madeira and Porto Santo and for the significant improvement in the living conditions of its populations ”.”

In the message released today, the President of the Republic salutes “very warmly the people of the Autonomous Region of Madeira” and thanks “the extraordinary example of courage and strength they have given”.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also greets the Madeiran communities around the world “with emotion and with the respect due to those who, by their work and by their example, magnify the name of Portugal”.

The head of state also notes that this year “Region Day is celebrated in a very unique environment, marked by adversity and uncertainty” due to the covid-19 pandemic and regrets that, “contrary to what was planned, the official ceremonies Portugal Day could not be held in Funchal and South Africa ”.

“I hope that, next year, this aspiration can be realized, as is entirely fair to all Madeirans and Porto-Santenses, namely those from the South African diaspora”, he points out.

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