António Costa hopes to be the president of “all those who sit in the European Council” because “it is necessary for consensus to be formed.”
In Brussels, journalists asked António Costa if he expected to take on such an important role as President of the European Council after his resignation due to Operation Influencer. The former prime minister replied with irony, arguing that since November, “a lot of water has flowed in the Tagus.” The newly elected leader of the European Council also quoted former President of the Republic Mário Soares, saying that “he has to be the president of all” those who have a seat in that body, given the divergence of political positions that he will encounter.
“If I were a believer, I would probably say it was a miracle. But life is made of changes and since that day a lot of water has flowed into the Tagus [7 de novembro]”António Costa said this Friday in an ironic tone. The former prime minister was referring to the day when the Public Ministry ordered searches in several ministries and also in his official residence. The then head of state ended up resigning. “I think that Today we are clearly in a different situation.” compared to November, concluded António Costa.
Speaking to reporters, the President-elect of the European Council quoted Mário Soares.Help needed to form consensus, either by qualified majority or in the majority of the decisions made by the Council. In Portugal we use that expression that Mário Soares created for the presidents of the Republic: “I will be the president of all the Portuguese.” The president of the Council must be the president of all those who are part of the European Council,” he stated.
Costa: “Building unity between countries will be my priority”
A day after being elected the next president of the European Council, António Costa met with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the future high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. After a brief conversation with the general secretary of the European Socialist Party (PES), Giacomo Filibeck, the president-elect “said that You will want to talk to all the leaders.”to understand how we can “improve working methods within the Council, and listen to everyone’s ideas.”
“I know almost all of them personally., I still don’t know the Prime Minister of Ireland, meanwhile some Prime Ministers will also change, at least the one from the Netherlands will surely change, others are also looking to change. I have a lot to do,” he added.
The President-elect of the European Council also said that he intended to work “extremely closely” with the Italian Prime Minister, despite Giorgia Meloni’s vote against his appointment, “understanding” her political position.
“The advice [Europeu] It is not exactly an association of technocrats, but of politicians, everyone has their political families, orientations and they also vote, they demonstrate, according to those preferences. “I perfectly understand the vote of the Prime Minister of Italy, with whom I hope to collaborate very closely,” he assured.
Source: Observadora
