The President of France Francois Hollande has conferred its highest decoration of the National Order of the Legion d'Honneur to Tonio Portughese in recognition of his long standing career and promotion of the French,European and universal values of dialogue,diversity and tolerance and for his promotion of excellent business and cultural relations between France and Malta.

 

Presenting the medal, the Ambassador of France Madame Beatrice Le Fraper Du Hellen underlined the contribution given by Tonio Portughese to the enhancement of these relations resulting from his professional career in local and international business and academic achievements.  Madame Le Fraper also  highlighted  the personal endorsement of Malta's  Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat in honouring a distinguished Maltese citizen at the time he is acting as the President of the Council of Ministers of the European Union.

 

The "Ordre national de la Legion d'Honneur"   is the highest French order for military and civil merits, was established on  1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and its current Grand Master is President Francois Hollande. In 2001 he was given the decoration of " Cavaliere Dottore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana"  by President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and in 2010 the President of Malta dr George Abela awarded him the "Gieh ir-Repubblika" as Member of the National Order of Merit.