"The Council of Europe is oriented towards citizens and citizens' rights and so all that it is necessary to so as not to break bridges and to help citizens to have rights and to come to the Court to defend themselves against the states themselves, this should be supported," said de Sousa in Strasbourg, referring to the European Court of Human Rights, also based in that French city, which was founded in 1959 as an offshoot of the Council of Europe.

His comments - during a visit to the Council of Europe following an invitation by the president of its parliamentary assembly, Liliane Maury Pasquier - came the day after Ukraine's delegation to the assembly walked out in protest after Russian members were allowed to return to the body five years after the annexation of Crimea.

De Sousa, speaking to journalists after meetings with senior officials at the Council of Europe, recalled the period of dictatorship in his own country, stressing that "the support of international organisations was important to the future construction of democracy" in Portugal.

"Portugal argues that the Council of Europe should have an open vision, helping to defend the rule of law, human rights and democracy," he said.