The Council of Ministers has approved a commission for the celebrations of November 25, 1974, which will consist of nine members. The announcement was made by Defense Minister Nuno Melo.
“Today fulfills what was announced nearly a year ago, with the aim of ensuring diversity, transversality, and a non-partisan, institutional nature. Importantly, this commission has been approved, which will have nine members,” he stated.
“The State will thus fulfill its obligation regarding a date fundamental to the consolidation of democracy and freedom in Portugal. We acknowledge that November 25 has returned the original purpose to April 25,” he remarked.
“November 25, by curbing the totalitarian drift, confirmed the democratic regime. Portugal will have – rightly so – the opportunity to celebrate with a sense of justice and gratitude the leadership on military and political fronts of those who made it all possible,” he continued.
Referring to those who, on the military front, “wrote with blood” and “fell” in this fight for freedom, Nuno Melo also highlighted the political efforts, citing the importance of various parties.
According to the minister, the work of this commission will begin in November and conclude in May 2026, allowing celebrations of other dates, such as the first free elections, in which Mário Soares was elected prime minister. “Forgetting November 25 would mean sacrificing the best of April 25, devaluing democracy. November 25 will be, as it is our duty to ensure, worthily celebrated.”
Other Measures Approved
Another measure involves the modernization of hydrometeorological monitoring networks until 2030, “which significantly enhances the country’s capacity against floods, droughts, and heatwaves.”
“This measure reflects the importance the Government places on preparing for the flood season, next winter,” stated Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Carlos Abreu Amorim, emphasizing that the Executive is preparing to mitigate the effects of potential phenomena.
In the Education sector, several proposals were also approved. According to Minister Fernando Alexandre, two decrees were approved, effective from September. The first anticipates a set of measures to combat the “high” number of students without teachers – one of the actions is the opening of a competition involving 269 school groups: “Last year, we managed to place 1,700 teachers, so we are implementing it.”
Support for relocation was also approved this year. As explained by the minister, the measure was already implemented last year but is now expanded to all teachers, aiming to ensure more impact in areas struggling to attract teachers. “We expect this measure to benefit about 8,000 teachers,” he stated.
