Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has ‘reminded’ Europe’s parliamentary speaker Roberta Metsola of the importance of Europe in “providing rapid and effective support” to help Portugal recover from the damage caused by Storm Kristin.
The head of government was responding last night to a message directed at Portugal by Ms Metsola on social network ‘X’.
The European leader wrote: “On behalf of the European Parliament, I share the pain of those who have lost loved ones and my thoughts are with all those affected. I also thank all those who are working tirelessly, day and night, to protect lives and restore services.”
“You are not alone,” she added in the comment, in which she identified Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
Also yesterday, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed her “deepest sympathy” for the deaths and damage caused by the storm – assuring the PM that the EU “is ready to support Portugal’s recovery through our fastest and most effective mechanisms”.
Von der Leyen said in the same post on social network X that the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan JØrgensen, “arrives in Portugal on Thursday night to collaborate with the authorities, who are still assessing the full extent of the damage”, on a visit that was already planned – focused on the issues of affordable housing and energy interconnections – and which will now include the challenges and needs thrown up by Storm Kristin.
On Wednesday, via the same social network, JØrgensen indicated that the EU government is available to provide support and is in “close contact” with the authorities in Portugal and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity due to the power cuts resulting from the storm.
Source: LUSA
