Translated from Portuguese. The Portuguese version prevails. Ler em português
Address by the President of the Constitutional Court.
The symbolism of this ceremony represents the inevitable cycle of renewal of life and also of institutions.
Indeed, renewal is only sustainable if it means embracing the new while always extending a hand to the old. Coming to know the new without ceasing to acknowledge the old.
That is why today we have the opportunity to pay a well-deserved tribute to two of our esteemed Justices, who, throughout their careers, devoted themselves with diligence, commitment and wisdom to the constitutional justice of our country.
Your path in this Court was marked by a profound sense of State and of mission, as well as by the professionalism necessary for the strengthening of the Democratic State based on the Rule of Law.
The term jubilação (retirement) signifies jubilation, jubilee, a moment of profound joy, a great feeling of happiness at having fulfilled one's mission, and this simple ceremony is indeed an example of precisely that.
The dedication that the Justices have shown over the years transcends the mere performance of duties. It represents a profound sense of duty towards Angolan society and towards the constitutional values that underpin our Democratic State based on the Rule of Law. This sense of duty was lived not as an obligation but as a true vocation, inspiring all who had the privilege of working with them."
Through your decisions, the lives of countless citizens were touched and transformed. Every case, every judgment represented the realisation of constitutional justice in the lives of real people, protecting their fundamental rights and their dignity. This is the true humanist legacy that you leave to this Court: the constant reminder that behind every case there is a human being whose dignity deserves to be safeguarded."
We therefore hope to be able to count on the Justices to lend your knowledge and experience to our project of technical and methodological “mentoring” for the new judges, an experience whose institutionalisation is under way.
The idea behind our mentoring project, as the retired Justices are well aware, rests on the natural logic of the younger drawing from the elder, with experience being passed on, particularly as regards procedural rites and the functional and institutional tools with which the constitutional judge must be equipped. This project is also a symbol of intergenerational solidarity, an element of paramount importance for the strengthening and normal functioning of institutions
On behalf of this Constitutional Court, of its staff and in my own name, I wish to express immense gratitude for the years of hard work, tireless dedication and the indelible mark you have left on this institution.
Yet, as we celebrate the past, we also look to the future with optimism. Today we have the privilege of welcoming two new Justices, who join what we call the “Constitutional Court Family”, with the challenge of continuing to protect and guarantee the fundamental rights of all citizens and to preserve the framework of principles enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Angola.
You are most welcome to the Constitutional Court Family; we are very happy to receive you, so please do make yourselves at home.
In this house, the criterion of jurisdiction is the one that Peter Haberle teaches us: that of the Constitution itself. We learn every day that “the Constitution is the declaration of love for the country”.
The Constitutional Court is, under Article 181 of the Constitution of the Republic of Angola (CRA), the highest body of constitutional jurisdiction in Angola and, in that capacity, the Guardian of the CRA and, consequently, of the declaration of love for the country, which is reflected in respect for the dignity of the human person and in the defence of fundamental rights, freedoms and guarantees.
We hope to provide you with the working conditions necessary for you to perform your duties with quality, based on rigour, fairness, professionalism and efficiency, and we likewise look forward to your commitment and active participation in our mission.
Here, in our House, a kind of purging is imperative in order to begin thinking constitutionally. We are the last bastion in the defence of the CRA, a kind of praetorian guard of the Democratic State based on the Rule of Law, defenders of the “Rule of Constitutionality”.
In our Court, the norm of consensus has become almost mandatory, with respect for, or even a degree of tolerance of, dissent. We recognise that a Judge has the right to cast a dissenting vote or to append to the majority decision a separate opinion expressing a different view; however, it is precisely in the balance between the independence of the judge and the need for the Court to speak with one voice that we find, every day, the beams that reinforce the foundations sustaining this Great Constitutional Court Family. We have therefore learned that a separate opinion can contribute to the refinement of the reasoning and to greater clarity in the decision of the bench.
Justices,
We are aware that, with the knowledge you bring and your eagerness to embark on this new challenge in fulfilment of this Herculean yet noble mission, you will contribute actively to the strengthening of our institution.
Finally, I extend my deepest thanks to all the Justices, staff and collaborators of this Court, whose dedication and professionalism are essential to our collective success.
I likewise thank our guests and the families of our Justices for your presence,
May the retirement of the Justices be a moment of celebration and of reflection on the path travelled, and may the arrival of the new Justices be an opportunity for the continuation of our noble mission.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH