At a meeting with Alexis Tsipras in the Greek capital, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa praised Greece on its courage and resistance in facing various challenges that Portugal also had to go through.

At the end of the day, we are just three months from a historical date for Greece, and the country knows it can count on Portugal at this moment that is so important, he said.

The Portuguese president had already mentioned the conclusion of Greece’s current bailout today when he was welcomed by his Greek counterpart, Prokopios Pavlopoulos.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlighted similarities between the Greek and Portuguese people and governments.

"We are democrats, social states, European – Southern European, but we have a wide view of Europe that lets us talk and ensure convergence with other European states in the defence if the same principles", he added.