Portugal’s Guantanamo Offer Echoes Across World Media

APPA NEWSROOM, LONDON, 13/12/08 -Portugal’s sudden offer to take some prisoners from Guantanamo Bay has taken media and diplomatic circles in Europe and across the Atlantic by storm, by taking a leadership in a matter that has been on the Euro-American agenda since Barack Obama was elected, though not with much in terms of European good-will to help resolving a problem European Union leaders are often keen to classify as an “American Problem”.

The issue, of course, departs from President Elect Barack Obama’s electoral promise to close down Guantanamo Bay Prison Camp - Cuba, but there is no easy solution. Guantanamo Bay houses about 250 prisoners, most of whom linked with the anti-terrorism investigations following the attack on New York twin towers and ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Portuguese Foreign Affairs Minister Luis Amado’s position however, has toppled upside down EU’s “cold feet” in regards to helping the United States, not just by taking the lead - offering to remove some prisoners from Guantanamo and transfer them to Portugal - but more significantly by pushing European Union leaders to follow suit, a move which clearly most European Union member countries appear to be reluctant to follow.

In a letter released just two days ago, the Portuguese Foreign Affairs Minister urged European Union governments to take action saying that “the time has come for the European Union to step forward”, adding that Portugal was ready to take part in an European resettlement program.

Mr Amado’s timing - we might add - was spot on, if we consider Obama’s Administration is due to take office in about one month’s time, incidentally a clear signal that Portugal is not doing a favour to the departing Bush Administration, but rather embracing efforts for a new World order, seeking fresh solutions for old problems.

At the core of the issue are 60 prisoners, already cleared by the Pentagon, but who cannot be returned back to their native countries for fears of persecution, torture and even death, placing Portugal at the forefront of Human Rights defence concerns.

 The first European country to take a positive lead in the issue, Portugal jumped to the front page of World media, being given coverage for an offer that has been understood as genuine, positive and the first friendly move to unfreeze relations between the United States and the European Union, paving the ground for Obama’s Administration and easing pressure in diplomatic relations across the Atlantic.

Human Rights organisations across the Globe have welcomed the Portuguese Leadership in this issue. The Centre for Constitutional Rights’s chief lawyer, Mr MacLean said: “This step is an important one to usher us into a new era”. And there is little doubt the Portuguese initiative has placed Portugal in the good auspices across the Arab world.

Portugal’s lead was this morning hailed across all major international media, including the BBC and the New York Times. The Arabic TV channel AL JAZEERA has also given the Portuguese initiative ample coverage, as well as The Guardian, Amnesty International, the International Human Rights Watch, among almost 500 other international media organisations.

Not surprisingly, the London Times has taken a different, more conservative view, playing down the Portuguese Leadership in this Human Rights important issue, preferring to focus on American pressure.

Duke of Braganza’s Speech Receives Standing Ovation

APPA NEWSROOM, LONDON 13/12/08 -Dom Duarte, Duke of Braganza’s address to an audience of more than 1000 people, to mark the 368th anniversary of the Restoration of Portugal’s independence, was widely acclaimed as the best ever, having received a standing ovation at the traditional annual Commemorative Gala Diner, which year on year marks the date Portugal’s independence was restored from Spanish rule [1580 - 1st Dec. 1640].

 In his address to the Portuguese, which coincided with severe economic difficulties, the Duke stressed that “it is in moments of trial and severe hardship that the soul of the People comes under test”, calling, according to the Head of the Royal House of Portugal, for initiative, solidarity, generosity and skill.

Highly critical, the speech also emphasizes the need for a new direction in Portuguese politics, encouraging a more environmentally friendly approach, a stop in consumerism, and proper investment in the Portuguese People and the Land, pointing out disastrous policies such as the loss of 444.790 acres of fertile land and the resulting potential for lack of sustainability, and food production autonomy.

For Dom Duarte, the State should call for a halt on hugely expensive public work projects and put in place a meticulous resources management policy, encouraging productivity and wealth generation, giving precedence to products made in Portugal, rather than imported goods and services. The Duke also pointed out that political parties must not serve as mere mechanisms of power struggle, but evolve as real citizenship academies, a criticism widely noted among Portuguese Public Opinion, following almost one year of public anger at the Portuguese political system for its inability to deliver, widening the gap between rich and poor.

Dom Duarte of Braganza finished his speech recalling the most celebrated historical statement of the Portuguese Monarchy - “The King is free and we are free” - in what was seen as a strong signal both of warning about the danger to Portuguese Democracy and independence, of the country’s current affairs, as well as of defiance, given the increasing criticism against the republican regime, among the Portuguese people.

 PORTUGUESE MONARCHIST INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE

SIGNALS SUPPORT BUT ALSO ADVISES CAUTIOUS RESTRAINT

The UK-based foundation Portuguese Monarchist Alliance [AIMP-PMIA], which is known for its policy of support for a neutral constitutional monarchy to replace an increasingly ailing Republic, welcomed the speech, but also cautioned against the dangers of interventive speeches being erroneously interpreted by Public Opinion as an anticipation of what a future Constitutional Monarchy would be in the future, should the Portuguese be able to opt for a change of regime in Portugal.

In a short statement issued to our News Room, AIMP-PMIAstrongly supported the Duke of Braganza’s stance, [sic] “especially given Portugal’s current state of affairs”, but also reminds the Portuguese that in a neutral Constitutional Monarchy, “the Crown must serve the purpose of stable continuity, rather than seek an active role in politics” and, “whilst it is normal and acceptable for the Heir to the Throne to speak-out, a commonplace in other European monarchies, once accession to the Throne happens, a reigning Sovereign must remain out of active politics, to avoid the danger of creating political cleavages as a result of potentially controversial statements and remarks”.

AIMP-PMIA’s statement issued to our newsroom can hardly be seen as pure coincidence. Unconfirmed rumours circulated that the Duke of Braganza’s recent praise of the Portuguese Communist Party as “very patriotic”during an interview to a Portuguese magazine, went down rather badly at the Portuguese Monarchist International Alliance, possibly taking into account the Party’s very dubious actions in 1975, shortly after the Portuguese Carnation Revolution, when the communists attempted a counter-revolution and nearly succeeded in placing Portugal under the former Soviet Union’s geo-political sphere of influence, causing total havoc in Portugal and arguably the most disastrous decolonisation process in European History, leaving Angola and Mozambique braced with civil war for almost 30 years.

APPA NEWS contacted AIMP-PMIA, but the association’s Board declined to comment.

Dom Duarte Duke of Braganza Advocates National Referendum for Portugal

APPA NEWS, LONDON-UK - At a time when George W. Bush is on the way out at the term of a mandate - according to many - peppered with concessions to big money lobbies and oil groups; and at the same time, Barack Obama proudly struggled to finance his electoral campaign, free from economic and big money lobbyists, Dom Duarte, Duke of Braganza’s interview in 2002 to an Education Portuguese magazine makes compelling reading.

Being Duke of Braganza, thus Head of the Royal House of Portugal and for that reason, the successor in the Crown of Portugal, it is hardly surprising that Dom Duarte advocates the return to a constitutional democratic parliamentary monarchy in Portugal.

Is it a matter of Power then?… Well, hardly really. Dom Duarte is not alone and counts on at least 20% of the Portuguese population who seem to think that way.

For the Duke of Braganza, monarchies are actually similar to republics these days, but have a monarch as head of state, instead of a president and is adamant in his view that a king or queen is far more independent from political parties and economical lobbies than a president.

Having on his shoulders the full weight of almost 900 years of national identity and history, Dom Duarte declares his full awareness of the responsibility and availability to serve the Portuguese people, should theneed arise; and thinks the current situation in which the Portuguese Constitution prohibits any other form of governance but republican, an insult to Democracy, explaining that European monarchies do not have such limitations in their constitutions.

Basically, says the Portuguese “king-in-waiting”, a keen observation of existing modern monarchies demonstrates their benefits, as though kings are not elected, they actually contribute with considerable added-value to democracies, simply because they are more independent and freer than elected presidents. Presidents, Dom Duarte adds, “need political parties and considerable sums of money to be elected or re-elected and for this reason have difficulties in criticizing economic lobby powers, as by doing so, they may incurr into the risk of not being elected at all”.

Furthermore, the Duke of Braganza argues a misconception that in monarchies the biological hazard of a “bad” sovereign makes the case in favour of republican regimes. For Dom Duarte, whilst throughout the 20th century we can find many cases of incompetent, out of balance and mentally “derailed” presidents, there have been no such cases in monarchies, because whilst a president may be elected without being well known to voters, a future king is well known since birth.

As the Duke of Braganza puts it, “the future king is well known since birth and constitutionally, all mechanisms are in place - such as a State Council or Parliament - they can replace him/her with the next in-line of succession to the Throne”.

But kings do not perform executive functions. Governments do. Kings reign and depend on the Constitution, and ultimately their judgement. Dom Duarte believes the Portuguese people actually would prefer a sovereign as head of state. As elections demonstrate, all presidents of Portugal were re-elected, showing a popular preference for stable continuity, but this is “mission impossible” in a republican regime, because presidents are limited to a maximum of two mandates.

Far from being biased, Dom Duarte points out a strong point. Former president of the Portuguese Republic Antonio Eanes stated on a number of occasions that he tried to act like a neutral and independent monarch and there is an ever increasing number of republicans who begin to see the Portuguese Republic would be better served with a monarch as head of state. As far as the Duke is concerned, there is no conflict, but simply an option to be made in regards to what sort of head of state would be better for the Republic. After all, all monarchies in Europe are “republics” with kings or queens as heads of state, a theory that even Portuguese republicans seem to get along with.

The issue though, says the Duke of Braganza, is the prohibition within the Portuguese Constitution, which does not allow any form of government other than republican. The Portuguese Republic, says Dom Duarte, “came into being through a coup, and for this reason falls short in being democratic”. For the successor in the Crown of Portugal, there is no other way but to change the Constitution in order to allow a referendum.

But when confronted with whether he believes the Portuguese will opt for a monarchy, the Duke of Braganza is cautious: “It all depends on how the people is correctly and honestly informed and the honesty of the question being asked to the Portuguese. A biased question - as in the recent abortion referendum - may purposely lead to the desired answer”.

However, one thing is for certain. There is no bias in regards to Dom Duarte’s understanding of a modern constitutional monarch, when questioned to what the role entails. According to the Duke, “Kings do not interfere publicly, their interventions are private. They have a profound knowledge of problems and issues and assist in their resolution together with governments, oppositions and other social partners”.

Interview given to “Educação Magazine”, 2002.

Portuguese Produce Unavailable on British Supermarkets

APPA NEWS, LONDON - UK - A market review conducted by AIMP has revealed a shocking reality. Portuguese products do not reach British markets and the very few that make it to Britain’s shores are either mainstream turism produce or Port wines.

AIMP-PMIA [Portuguese Monarchist International Alliance], which has been monitoring food and drink markets in the United Kingdom for six months has concluded that key areas of the Portuguese Economy, such as traditional high end quality food and drink produce is not exported to the United Kingdom at rates capable of competing with Spanish, Italian and Greek produce.

Shocking as it may seem and in sharp contrast to what happens with Greek, Italian and above all Spanish produce, all selling millions of pounds worth of products in Britain, Serra cheeses, Azores “Ilha” cheeses, Azeitão cheeses, “Pata Negra” hams and most high quality red and white wines are nowhere to be found in any of the major supermarket networks, among them Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s, ASDA and Marks & Spencer. The same can safely be said of Madeira wines, for example, despite the well known fact that Madeira produces excellent table wines, but most Madeira found in Britain is marketed as cooking wine.

Another markedly shocking area concerns marketing of Olive Oil, a product not very popular in Britain just 15 years ago, but has enjoyed a huge boom to the point where no British household would consider cooking without it. Again, all olive oil available is either Spanish, Greek, Italian or even Turkish. Portugal, known as it is for producing some of the best olive oil in the world, quite simply does not export it.

The situation is all the more shocking because Portuguese produce is generally far superior to the competition, but as it stands, it allows Spanish, Greek and Italian producers to pocket millions of pounds in profit, as traditional products sell extremely well and are very popular among the British people, accostumed to enjoy them at holiday resorts and once back home, look out for them in the supermarkets.

The report, which is expected to be available in the first quarter 2009, presents an overall poor picture, showing that none of the British major supermarket networks - worth many thousands of sales outlets across Britain - carry important and high quality Portuguese produce, apart from Mateus Rosé wines, a couple of “Vinho Verde” (most labeled Gazela and unlabelled), several Port wines, mostly Ruby class and Tawny and very few fresh vegetables.

Portuguese Politics Bordering On Hysterics

APPA NEWS, LISBON - PORTUGAL - Portuguese politics have been known for many years for running high spirited and with a fair dose of wit, but a new corner stone has been turned, with a formidable row between the opposition parties and the Portuguese Government, concerning the recent uptaking of BNP Bank into public ownership, after it apparently ran into murky waters, following the international financial crisis.

During a press conference held at São Bento Palace, the Portuguese Parliament HQ, the Government considered Ms Manuela Ferreira Leite [pictured left/above], the main opposition party PSD leader, of “acting desperate”.

The “pleasantry” followed an apparently rather assertive and vociferous attack on the Prime Minister by Ms Ferreira Leite, who accused the Portuguese PM of being “an authoritarian who cannot be trusted”, during the PSD party Annual Conference closing speech. The attack came rolling downhill at speed, due to the recent decision by the Portuguese Government to nationalise BPN Bank, sparking fears of a wave of nationalisations.

Ms Ferreira Leite, who is known at home and abroad for her “Thatcher-like” style did not spare the Prime Minister, and demanded a formal apology from the Government.

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition party CDS-PP, Mr Paulo Portas, who never ceases to amaze for his energetic attacks, demanded the resignation of the Governor of the Bank of Portugal, Mr Vitor Constancio, following the BPN Bank nationalisation. According to the CDS-PP leader, the Bank of Portugal is not independent enough nor can it be trusted as an independent regulator.

The Government however replied by reasserting the regulator’s independence, and accused the opposition parties of bias, saying that the opposition tends to recognise the regulator’s independence only when its decisions are to their liking.

The row is expected to continue, especially if Portugal comes to face more financial turmoil, eventually leading to the nationalisation of other banking institutions, a situation which is not expected to develop, as the Government denies plans for further action.

Portuguese PM Argues The Case For Banking Nationalisation

APPA NEWS, LISBON - PORTUGAL - Portuguese PM José Sócrates has argued the case for taking banks into public ownership, should the need arise.

The Portuguese PM’s comments were the short answer to opposition leaders from CDS-PP party, who have been questioning the matter, following the Government’s decision to take BPN bank into public ownership, as a result of the recent credit crunch and the financial crisis.

“The Government decision to take a bank into public ownership is entirely legitimate”, said Mr Sócrates, when questioned in regards to the legislative process which lead to the nationalisation of BPN bank, adding however that such decisions must now pass through Parliament for approval, as required by the Portuguese Constitution.

The Portuguese Prime Minister’s comments took place at the end of a meeting between the Government and trade unions, to agree upon an increase on the Portuguese National Minimum Wage, which is expected to reach EUR 450.00, with effect from 1st January 2009.

Portugal Launches Uterus Cancer Vaccination Campaign

APPA NEWS, LISBON - PORTUGAL - Portuguese Health Authorities have successfully launched a national vaccination programme aimed at curbing down uterine cancer risks, having already administered the jab to 23.000 women aged 13, in the first week.

The Portuguese National Vaccination Plan - PVN - had an initial target of 27.000 young women vaccinated until the end of the year, but is well ahead of schedule, according to Ms Ana Jorge, Portuguese Health Minister.

The Plan aims at giving the jab, which is free of charge under the Portuguese National Health System, to all women aged up to 17 years old, in a first phase to last until 2011.

The vaccine, which is available in Portugal under the name of “Gardasil”, has been proven to be 90% effective in preventing cancer of the womb in women up to 45 years old, but the Portuguese Government has no plans to extend the vaccine to the whole female population presently, a point for which it has been criticized by oncology specialists and consultants, namely the Portuguese Cancer Institute of Coimbra director, Dr Daniel Pereira da Silva, who has made his position clear by emphasizing that the vaccine is proven effective in older women, which should encourage widespread vaccination, notwithstanding budget considerations.