Spanish Government’s President, Pedro Sánchez./ Photo: Pool Moncloa
Luis Ayllón. 25/07/2018
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has before him a week marked by several major international events, such as a meeting with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and another with Ecuador’s President, Lenin Moreno, on top of his attendance to Lisbon Interconnections Summit.
The meetings are concentrated on Thursday and next Friday. The first will be with Lenin Moreno, to whom Sánchez will receive at Moncloa Palace for lunch. Moreno returns to Madrid seven months after his first official visit, in which he met with the then Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy.
Moreno wants to confirm that the new Spanish government will maintain the initiative presented to the EU to achieve visa exemption for Ecuadorians to enter the community space, as it have already Colombians and Peruvians. The strengthening of relations with the EU, the presence of more than 140,000 Ecuadorian immigrants in Spain, which increases to 460,000 if those enjoying dual citizenship are taken into account, and the demand for more Spanish investments in Ecuador will be also at the talks.
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Immigration and Monetary Union will focus the meeting with French President
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After meeting Lenin Moreno, Pedro Sánchez will receive in the afternoon Emmanuel Macron, to whom he will later accompany at the dinner offered by the King at the Royal Palace, with the assistance of other members of the Government as well as Spanish and French personalities. In the last hours there were speculations about a possible postponement of the visit of Macron, due to the crisis that the French President faces by the scandal unleashed after the performance of former security chief of the Elysee, Alexander Benalla, who assaulted protesters on May 1 posing as a policeman. However, yesterday afternoon Spanish and French officials were still working to get everything ready for the visit.
Macron and Sánchez have already talked in past occasions, especially when the Spanish Prime Minister chose Paris as the destination of his first trip abroad, underlining his commitment to European integration. Now, if Macron’s trip takes place, both leaders will be able to continue their conversations, which, according to sources consulted by The Diplomat, will focus on the Economic and Monetary Union and on the massive arrival of immigrants to Europe.
In addition, according to Government’s sources cited by Europa Press, both leaders will talk about the possible celebration on October 1 in Madrid to underline the French collaboration in the fight against ETA and in homage to the victims of terrorism.
Finally, on Friday, after the Council of Ministers, Sanchez will move to Lisbon, where the summit on energy interconnections will take place. Macron will be present at the meeting, along the Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa and the President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker.
