“On this date that we will never forget, I could not fail to send you a warm hug in memory of all the victims of June 17, your families, your friends, your neighbours”, stated Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in a message addressed to the Association of Victims of the Pedrógão Grande Fire (AVIPG).

Mentioning that the AVIPG has called for a meeting at the Memorial in Homage to the Victims of the 2017 Fires, the Head of State said that it has not always been possible to physically attend this event, but his thoughts are with everyone.

“On this, the last 17th of June of my term, I would like to issue a warning so that the mobilization around the association is maintained and does not give in to possible changes in cycle or protagonists”, he stressed.

The President of the Republic stressed that “the work carried out, the commitment to reconstruction and the preservation of memory cannot end”.

Concluding his message, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa assured that “17th of June is a date that we will never forget”.

The fires that broke out on 17th June 2017 in Pedrógão Grande and spread to neighbouring municipalities caused the death of 66 people, in addition to injuring 253 residents, seven of whom were serious. The fires destroyed around 500 homes and 50 businesses.

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