Estonia and Portugal

13.04.2010

Portugal recognised the Republic of Estonia de facto in 1918 and de jure on 6 February 1921. Portugal never recognised the occupation of Estonia by the Soviet Union. As a sign of protest, the right of centre minority government prohibited a parliamentary delegation from visiting Estonia during its visit to the Soviet Union in 1987.

Portugal re-recognised the Republic of Estonia on 27 August 1991 and diplomatic relations were re-established on 1 October 1991.

Portuguese Ambassadors to Estonia

• Dr. Jorge Alberto Nogueira De Lemos Godinho (4 Mar 1993 - 9 Apr 1996)
• Mr. Manuel Moreira de Andrade (1996 - 2001)
• Mr. Filipe Guterres (2001 - 2004)
• Mr. João Manuel da Cruz da Silva Leitão (2004- 2005)
• Mrs. Ana Paula Baptista Grade Zacarias (21.11.2005 – 06.01.2009)
• Mrs. Maria de Fatima de Pina Perestrello (10.12.2009 - ...)

Portuguese State Secretary for European Affairs Manuel Lobo Antunes officially opened the Portuguese Embassy in Tallinn on 12 September 2006.

Estonian Chargé d'Affaires a.i. and Ambassadors:

• Meelike Palli (Chargé d'Affaires a.i) (1997–1999)
• Paul Lettens (Chargé d'Affaires a.i) (1999–2002)
• Märt Piiskop (Chargé d'Affaires a.i) (2002–2003
• Andres Tomasberg (non-resident ambassador, resided in Paris) (1996 – 1997)
• Raul Mälk (non-resident ambassador, resided in London, and from 2001 in Tallinn) (2000 – 2003)
• Aino Leppik von Wirén (the first Estonian Ambassador, to reside in Lisbon) (2003 – 2006)
• Mart Tarmak – (15 September 2006 -

Prime Minister Mart Siimann, visiting Lisbon in connection with EXPO‘98, officially opened the Embassy of Estonia in Lisbon in August 1998.

Estonia has three honorary consuls in Portugal: Mário Nuno dos Santos Ferreira in the city of Porto in northern Portugal, Gonçalo Martins Dias in the city of Tavira in southern Portugal, and Horácio Franco in Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel in the Azores.

Visits

Bilateral Relations

Estonia and Portugal have good relations. During the past few years the number of high-level visits and cultural links between Estonia and Portugal has increased.The number of tourists from Portugal visiting Estonia has also grown year by year, and Estonians are more and more interested in Portugal as a holiday destination.

Portugal’s support for Estonia's accession to the European Union and NATO was steadfast. Portugal has continually defended the interests of small and medium size countries within the European Union. Portugal and Estonia developed good co-operation in the European Convention at developing the joint position of the small countries for reforming the institutions of the EU.

In July 2004, Fundão Deputy Mayor Carlos Martinho Gomes and Haapsalu Mayor Teet Kallasvee signed a co-operation agreement between the two towns.

Agreements

Prior to World War II, Estonia and Portugal had a trade agreement, which came into force on 16 January 1930.

• Agreement on the Abolishment of Visa Requirements (came into force 18 Dec 1999);
• Agreement on Co-operation in the Field of Tourism (came into force 18 Jul 2001);
• Agreement Concerning International Transport of Passengers and Goods by Road (came into force 5 Apr 2003);
• Co-operation Agreement in the Fields of Language, Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Youth, Sport and Media (signed 12 May 2003);
• Memorandum of Mutual Understanding on Defence Co-operation between the Ministry of Defence of Estonia and the Ministry of National Security of Portugal (came into force 20 May 2003);
• Agreement on the Readmission of Persons (came into force 26 Sep 2003);
• Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Income Tax Evasion (came into force 23 Jul 2004).
• Republic of Estonia and the Portuguese Republic Agreement on Mutual Protection of Classified Information (came into force November 2005).
• On 26 March 2010 secretaries general Marten Kokk and Vasco Valente signed a memorandum of mutual understanding between the foreign ministries of Estonia and Portugal.

Economic Relations

TRADE

In 2008 Portugal ranked as Estonia’s 43rd trade partner and in 2009 as the 41st. In both years, its relative importance was 0.1% of Estonia’s total foreign trade turnover. The trade volume in 2008 was 20.9 million euros and in 2009 it dropped to 13 million euros. Estonian export to Portugal totalled 10.0 million euros in 2008 and 19.4 million euros in 2009. Import from Portugal totalled 10.8 and 6 million euros respectively.

Main export articles in 2009:

• Wood and wood products - 23.7%
• Metals and metal products - 18.9%
• Means of transport - 12.4%
• Machinery and equipment - 11.5%

Main import articles in 2009:

• Textiles and textile products - 29.6%
• Footwear, headwear and umbrellas – 13.5%
• Food and beverages - 13.1%
• Plastic and rubber products - 12.1%

INVESTMENTS 

The volume of Portuguese direct investments in Estonia grew until the end of 2008. In 2009 both Estonian direct investments in Portugal and investments from Portugal to Estonia decreased. As of 31 December 2009, the total value of Portuguese direct investments in Estonia was -0.43 million and of Estonian investments in Portugal -15.0million euross. 

TOURISM

In 2008, 2644 Portuguese tourists spent the night in Estonian establishments (in 2007 the same number was 2763). Like most other Southern European tourists, the Portuguese usually visit Estonia in the summertime as part of a tour that visits several neighbouring countries as well. Most Portuguese tourists only visit Tallinn.

Travel of Estonian residents to Portugal

Portugal has become increasingly more popular as a summer vacation spot for Estonian tourists, but Portugal still has much more unrealised potential as a spa or tour destination for Estonians considering its reasonable prices, interesting sights, and friendly but not pushy citizens that are able to speak English. During the past few years the number of tourists has been positively affected by charter trips that are organised in the summertime from Tallinn to Algarve in southern Portugal. Ever since Estonia’s accession to the European Union, Estonian citizens have travelled to Portugal more and more. In 2005 the number of visitors there was 3 495, in 2006 4 269, in 2007 5 489, and in 2008 9 445.
 

Culture

On 12 May 2003, Estonia and Portugal signed an agreement for co-operation in the fields of language, education, culture, science, technology, youth projects, sports and media. It took effect on 15 December 2005.

ART

In March and April 2005, the exhibition entitled “Aeroporto de Lisboa” of seven young Estonian jewelry artisans was on display at Shibuichi gallery in Porto. All seven artists—Ester Faiman, Bruno Lillemets, Maarja Niinemagi, Kärt Maran, Argo Männik, Sven Tali and Katrin Veegen—have in recent years graduated from the department of jewellery and blacksmithing of the Estonian Academy of Arts. In January this year, Virge Jõekalda got the Evora artist’s residency prize at the IV Evora international Graphics Festival biennial in Portugal for a work from the series “My garden”.

In June 2006, on the occasion of the national day of Portugal and the opening of the Embassy, the exhibition “Azulejo-Art in Portugal” took place at the Estonian National Library.

September 2007 an exhibit of Jüri Arrak’s paintings in the monastery Convento des Cardaes took place.

April-May 2008 – exhibition of Valli Lember-Bogatkina’s watercolours in the Lisbon Water Museum.

In May 2009, the joint exhibit of six Estonian artists “Moss and Lichen” in Coimbra.

MUSIC

Estonian musicians have also presented their talents in Portugal, both in independent concerts and in the framework of larger events:

Events for introducing Estonia and recognizing the enlargement of the European Union took place in early May 2004 in Lisbon and Porto. The folk music ensemble “Vägilased” performed, along with fashion designers Tanel Veenre, Aldo Järvsoo, Merike Pääro and Monika Randloo. Master chef Imre Kose prepared Estonian foods.

On 15 October 2005, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir performed in Porto, the choir was conducted by Paul Hillier and the music of Pärt and Cyrillus Kreek was in the program. In November 2005, Paavo Järvi conducted the Gulbenkian symphony orchestra in Lisbon. In the framework of the state visit, the Tallinn String Quartet performed in Lisbon.

In February 2007 Hedvig Hanson and Andre Maaker gave 2 concerts (in Lisbon and Abrantes). In September 2007 the Estonian Defence Forces Mixed Choir gave 2 concerts in Lisbon.

In February 2008 concert by the ETV Girls’ Choir (conducted by Aarne Saluveer) in the main hall of Lisbon University to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia.

In october 2008 Flora Mixed Choir concert in Foz Palace in Lisbon took place. In February 2009 the Helin-Mari Arder Trio gave concerts in Lisbon and Tavira.

FILM

At the Estorili international film festival held in November 2007, Veiko Õunpuu’s film “Sügisball” (“Autumn Ball”) won the jury’s special award.
The festive premier of “Sügisball” in Portugal took place in July 2008. The film remained in the theatre for six weeks.

During the Estorili international film festival held in November 2008, entitled “Temps d’Images”, Kersti Uibo’s documentary “Vaikelu naisega” (“Still Life with Wife”) was recognised.

LITERATURE

The only works of Estonian literature translated into Portuguese to date are "The Czar’s Madman" by Jaan Kross, two editions of the novel have been published in 1992 and 1993, and Eduard Vilde’s "The Milkman of Mäeküla" (2004).

From Portuguese literature, "The Relic" by Eça de Queiroz and "Autopsychography" by Fernando Pessoa have been translated into Estonian by Ain Kaalep along with "Sunday Afternoon" by Fernando Namora and a set of short stories "The Sword of Tupariz" by Vitorio Kali. In 2007 José Saramago’s “Darkness” was published (translated into Estonian by Mare Vega Salamanca).

In 2007, the publisher TEA published a small Estonian-Portuguese, Portuguese-Estonian dictionary. In 2008, the brochure “12 Questions”, which presents information about Estonia, was published in Portuguese.

LANGUAGE

Portuguese language instruction takes place in Estonia, and there are even two Portuguese language centres—one at Tartu University and the other at Tallinn University. Until now, occasional language courses had taken place, but there was no academic language programme. This situation changed thanks to a co-operation agreement signed between Camões Institute and Tallinn and Tartu Universities in 2006. According to the agreement, the Camões Institute will cover all expenses for teachers and materials, and each of the Estonian universities will receive one scholarship to send a student to Portugal to learn the language.

Many Estonian university students have taken the opportunity to learn Portuguese in Portugal, and the first Portuguese students have, with the help of the embassy and the Estonian Institute, also come to Estonia to study Estonian. Estonian students from the Academy of Arts have also studied in Portugal as exchange students.

OTHER

In December 2002, the culturally oriented Lisbon Estonian Society was established.

In connection with the 85th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, President Arnold Rüütel awarded the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana 5th class to Portuguese journalist José Manuel Milhazes Pinto, who had done an excellent job introducing Estonia in Portugal. In connection with the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, the highest state decoration the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana Collar was given to Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who was recognised for supporting the non-recognition policy towards the occupation of Estonia as then-prime minister. The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana Third Class was given to former mayor of Lisbon and former interior minister Antonio Costa and the Fifth Class of the same decoration was given to ministry specialist Maria Eduarda Peixeiro for helping along with the accession to the Schengen visa space.

In the summer of 2004, a friendship and co-operation development agreement was signed between Haapsalu and the central Portuguese city of Fundão (population 10 000), which despite its ancient appearance gained city status only in 1988. On 7 May 2005, the Mayor of Haapsalu Teet Kallasvee and the Mayor of Fundão Manuel Joaquin Frexes unveiled the new Haapsalu Street in Fundão. It is in the more modern part of town and curves around the new courthouse.

In June 2006, a series of cultural events took place in Tallinn on the occasion of the national day of Portugal and the opening of the Portuguese Embassy. A Portuguese Week was held at Kristiine Centre, a shopping mall, at which Portuguese wines, food and other products were introduced. The national day of Portugal was celebrated at Palmse manor an hour’s drive outside of Tallinn; pianist Filipe Pinto-Ribeiro performed and Portuguese national food was served.

In October 2007 and Estonian gastronomic week took place at the Lisbon Sheraton, during which Estonian dishes were prepared by master chefs Tõnis Sigur and Raul Tee.

In December 2008, the Estonian Embassy in Lisbon introduced Estonian Christmas traditions during the Christmas event “O Natal na Europa”. Within the framework of the event, two concert were given by folk music duo RO:TORO.