Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “was in the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday, at the invitation of President Michael Higgins, who, on that occasion, conveyed his condolences for the tragic loss of five soldiers.”
The President of the Republic was in Ireland on Wednesday to hold a working meeting with his counterpart, Michael Higgins, who conveyed his condolences for the death of five GNR soldiers in a helicopter crash in the Duero.
The video shows the helicopter crashing into the Duero River. Accident killed five soldiers of the GNR
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “was in the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday, invited by President Michael Higgins, who, on that occasion, conveyed his condolences for the tragic loss of five GNR soldiers in the Douro, asking that they reach the families and friends of the victims,” reads a note published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic on the Internet.
On August 8, the head of state informed parliament in a letter that he intended to travel to Dublin, Ireland, “for a working meeting with the Irish president” on the 27th of that month.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa later postponed the meeting to Wednesday, “due to the known reasons for the earthquake” that occurred in Portugal the day before this trip.
On Friday, August 30, a forest firefighting helicopter crashed into the Duero River, carrying a pilot who was rescued alive, and a team of five GNR soldiers from the Emergency Protection and Relief Unit (UEPS), who died in the accident.
Firefighting helicopter crashes into the Duero River. Pilot rescued, search continues
In October 2022 Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, He made a two-day state visit to Irelandat the invitation of his Irish counterpart, Michael Higgins.
Parliament approves the trip of the President of the Republic to Ireland between 18 and 21 October
It has been 23 years since a Portuguese president officially visited Ireland. The last time was Jorge Sampaio, in 1999, also on a state visit.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Michael Higgins met at meetings of the Arraiolos Group, which brings together European heads of state without executive powers.
Michael Higgins, President of Ireland since November 2011, was in Portugal on a state visit between 9 and 10 December 2015, when Aníbal Cavaco Silva was President of the Republic.
The consent of the Assembly of the Republic to the trip of the Head of State is a formality imposed by the Constitutionwhich establishes that the President of the Republic cannot leave the national territory without authorization from parliament.
Source: Observadora
