Under conditions of crisis, European solidarity should not remain only in words. The quick coping with the situation created by the coronavirus in Europe requires that the European institutions and member states should pool joint efforts. This was the common stance adopted by the Presidents of Bulgaria and Portugal, Rumen Radev and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who held a telephone conversation.

The two Heads of State said that the social and economic recovery of Europe after the coronavirus should be among the topics of a video-conference meeting of the heads of state of the Arraiolos group, which unites the presidents of 14 EU member states – Bulgaria, Portugal, Germany, Latvia, Finland, Italy, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia, Malta, Croatia and Greece.

Rumen Radev and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa were unanimous that apart from the health measures adopted for limiting the spread of the coronavirus, timely actions on the part of the European Union for the quick social and economic recovery of the European countries are also necessary. It is unacceptable to allow the marginalization of big social groups or deepen the social and economic division in the EU as a result of the current crisis, Rumen Radev and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa further noted.

During the conversation a mutual agreement was reached to postpone President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s forthcoming visit to Bulgaria in April because of the situation created by the coronavirus in Europe. It is expected that the Portuguese President’s visit will be held in the autumn of 2020.