“Any perspective that could enshrine a disrespect for this principle [of cohesion policy] will have our firm and well-founded opposition. We are not here complaining or begging for anything, we are here being an active part of a process of affirming the bloc,” said Luís Montenegro in statements to journalists on the sidelines of the informal summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union (EU), in Cyprus, where the next community budget, for the period between 2028 and 2034, was discussed this morning.

The Prime Minister said that during the summit, he warned the other leaders not to “neglect cohesion policy” or “interrupt a path of convergence” pursued by countries such as Portugal that benefit from cohesion funds.

Montenegro stressed that Portugal today has economic growth “that exceeds the average of the EU and the eurozone”, has a “financial performance that is among the top five” Member States and an “absolutely remarkable path of public debt reduction”.

"Therefore, there is no reason why we should not have the resources that, in terms of cohesion, ensure a Europe for the people, looking at the territory and the social dimension of the EU's work, but above all looking at what equality of opportunity means within the single market," he said.