Media and news Regional Government of the Azores - Communication

Nota de Imprensa
March 2, 2026
Governo dos Açores investe cerca de 140 mil euros em novo sistema de abastecimento de água agrícola no Faial
O Governo dos Açores, através da IROA, S.A., assinou o contrato de empreitada para a construção do Sistema de Abastecimento de Água dos Cedros - POA Cedros/Praia do Almoxarife, na ilha do Faial, com o objetivo de reforçar a resiliência hídrica da atividade agropecuária local. Adjudicada à empresa Vitor Manuel Dias Fernandes, a intervenção representa um investimento de 139.112,46 € e tem um prazo de execução estipulado em 120 dias. A obra, localizada na zona do Cascalho, freguesia dos Cedros, contempla a construção de uma nova infraestrutura de implantação, que inclui um reservatório com capacidade para 250 metros cúbicos de água e a instalação do respetivo ponto de abastecimento para uso dos agricultores. A nova infraestrutura vai beneficiar diretamente 48 explorações agrícolas, servindo uma área aproximada de 149 hectares. O projeto conta com a colaboração essencial da Câmara Municipal da Horta, que assegurará a adoção do sistema. Para o Secretário Regional da Agricultura e Alimentação, António Ventura, a empreitada “representa um passo decisivo no reforço da infraestrutura hídrica da ilha do Faial e no apoio direto à atividade agrícola local”. “Trata-se de um investimento estruturante, que irá melhorar significativamente a disponibilidade de água para dezenas de explorações, aumentando a resiliência, a produtividade e a segurança dos agricultores”, sublinha o governante, destacando a visão orientada para o uso eficiente e sustentável dos recursos. António Ventura enaltece ainda a cooperação entre as entidades regionais e locais, considerando a obra "um exemplo claro de como investimentos bem direcionados podem gerar benefícios duradouros para o setor agropecuário e para o futuro da agricultura”. Esta intervenção no Faial integra um pacote mais abrangente de projetos, protocolado entre o Fundo Ambiental e a Região Autónoma dos Açores, que permite a aplicação global de um milhão de euros em todas as ilhas na instalação de equipamentos de apoio ao armazenamento de água para a agricultura.

Nota de Imprensa
March 2, 2026
Alonso Miguel sublinha importância da proximidade, prevenção e investimento estratégico na Proteção Civil dos Açores
O Secretário Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática, Alonso Miguel, destacou a importância estratégica da proximidade entre o sistema regional de Proteção Civil e a população açoriana, defendendo que a prevenção, a capacitação dos cidadãos e o reforço da confiança no sistema constituem pilares absolutamente determinantes para garantir uma resposta eficaz, coordenada e resiliente face a situações de emergência. As declarações foram proferidas em Angra do Heroísmo, no âmbito das comemorações do Dia Internacional da Proteção Civil, numa iniciativa promovida pelo Serviço Regional de Proteção Civil e Bombeiros dos Açores (SRPCBA), que reuniu 22 agentes e entidades integrantes do sistema regional de Proteção Civil, num momento de demonstração de meios, partilha de conhecimento técnico e aproximação efetiva à comunidade. Na ocasião, o governante sublinhou que “é fundamental dar a conhecer à comunidade as capacidades instaladas na Região e promover continuamente a aproximação das pessoas ao sistema regional de Proteção Civil”, acrescentando que “uma resposta verdadeiramente eficaz às situações de emergência não depende apenas dos meios operacionais disponíveis, mas também do grau de preparação, informação e envolvimento dos cidadãos”. “A proteção civil começa em cada um de nós. A construção de uma sociedade mais segura exige uma cultura de responsabilidade partilhada, onde cada cidadão conhece os riscos, sabe como agir e assume um papel ativo na prevenção”, vincou. A iniciativa permitiu apresentar meios e capacidades operacionais, bem como dinamizar um conjunto alargado de ações de sensibilização, com especial enfoque, nesta edição, na temática dos sismos e das estruturas colapsadas, matéria de particular relevância num território arquipelágico marcado por especificidades geológicas e exposição a fenómenos naturais de diversa natureza. Ao longo do dia foram promovidas sessões práticas sobre a constituição de kits de emergência, noções básicas de primeiros socorros, realização de simulacros de sismo e demonstrações de cenários de intervenção em estruturas colapsadas, possibilitando à população contactar de forma direta com procedimentos técnicos e operacionais adotados pelas equipas de socorro. O evento contou com a participação de cerca de 1.300 visitantes, maioritariamente crianças e jovens provenientes de creches, jardins-de-infância, ATL e estabelecimentos de ensino da ilha Terceira, o que, segundo o Secretário Regional, “representa um sinal muito positivo do envolvimento da comunidade educativa e da importância que está a ser atribuída à formação das novas gerações em matéria de segurança e autoproteção”. Alonso Miguel destacou que esta aposta na educação constitui uma das grandes prioridades da estratégia regional, afirmando que “começar pelas escolas é investir no futuro da Região, porque se está a formar cidadãos mais conscientes, mais preparados e mais resilientes”. Nesse sentido, salientou o papel estruturante de projetos como os “Clubes de Proteção Civil”, o “Aprender a Socorrer” e o “Educar para a Proteção Civil”, iniciativas que, todos os anos, envolvem milhares de alunos em todo o arquipélago e que têm contribuído de forma consistente para elevar os níveis de literacia em proteção civil. O governante recordou ainda que a Proteção Civil tem sido uma prioridade inequívoca da ação governativa, sublinhando que “nos últimos cinco anos o Governo Regional dos Açores investiu mais de 60 milhões de euros no sistema regional de Proteção Civil, com o objetivo claro de reforçar as condições de segurança e socorro das populações e modernizar estruturalmente o sistema”. “Este é um investimento muito significativo, que nos permitiu reforçar o sistema de emergência médica pré-hospitalar, apetrechar os corpos de bombeiros com equipamentos essenciais, renovar as frotas de veículos de socorro e de combate a incêndios, valorizar as tabelas salariais dos bombeiros, apostar fortemente na qualificação e formação dos operacionais e, simultaneamente, aumentar a literacia da população em matéria de proteção civil”, frisou. Para Alonso Miguel, o reforço contínuo dos meios materiais deve caminhar lado a lado com a consolidação de uma cultura preventiva, acrescentando que “não basta ter equipamentos modernos e profissionais qualificados, é igualmente indispensável garantir que a população conhece os riscos, compreende os procedimentos e confia no sistema regional de Proteção Civil”. O Secretário Regional salientou que “este esforço integrado tem vindo a traduzir-se num reforço efetivo da capacidade de resposta operacional, numa melhoria substancial das condições de trabalho dos agentes de Proteção Civil e numa maior robustez estrutural do sistema”, fatores que, no seu entender, explicam o crescente nível de confiança da população açoriana nas instituições responsáveis pela segurança coletiva. “Hoje podemos afirmar que temos uma população açoriana que confia no sistema regional de Proteção Civil, e essa confiança é construída todos os dias através de investimento, profissionalismo, proximidade e trabalho permanente de sensibilização e formação”, afirmou. O governante concluiu referindo que “a celebração do Dia Internacional da Proteção Civil constitui não apenas um momento simbólico, mas também uma oportunidade concreta para reafirmar a importância estratégica que o Governo dos Açores atribui a esta área, entendendo-a como muito mais do que uma estrutura de resposta a emergências”. “A Proteção Civil é, simultaneamente, um instrumento de educação, um mecanismo de prevenção, um fator de coesão comunitária e um pilar fundamental da resiliência do nosso território. Num arquipélago como o nosso, sujeito a riscos naturais específicos, a consolidação de uma cultura de segurança não é uma opção, é uma responsabilidade coletiva que deve ser contínua, transversal e assumida por todos”, sustentou. “A Proteção Civil começa em cada um de nós”, concluiu Alonso Miguel, que defendeu também que “o reforço da resiliência da comunidade açoriana exige um compromisso permanente entre instituições, agentes operacionais, escolas, famílias e cidadãos, numa lógica de cooperação e corresponsabilização que fortalece o sistema e prepara a Região para enfrentar, com maior capacidade e confiança, os desafios futuros”.

Nota de Imprensa
March 2, 2026
Public tender opened for the allocation of 12 apartments on lease with purchase option in Maia, São Miguel Island
The public tender for the allocation of 12 new apartments in the São Pedro Neighbourhood in the parish of Maia, municipality of Ribeira Grande, São Miguel Island, is now open. These housing units were built by the Regional Government under the RRP, representing an investment of over €2.2 million. Under the terms of the Order issued by the Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment, Maria João Carreiro, published in the Official Journal of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the application period runs from today, March 2, until March 27 (inclusive).  The new apartments comprise six two-bedroom and six three-bedroom units. They are intended for permanent residence by applicants and their families, and will be allocated on a lease with purchase option scheme. The purchase option can be exercised by the tenant one year after signing the lease agreement. Applications must be submitted by completing the appropriate form, available on the Regional Directorate for Housing (DRH) website at https://portal.azores.gov.pt/web/drh/concursos, accompanied by the documents listed in Article 7 of the Regulations on the Lease with Purchase Option Scheme, and delivered in one of the following formats: DRH Services, located at Rua Dr. João Francisco de Sousa, no. 30, 9500-187 Ponta Delgada; RIAC - Integrated Citizen Support Network Offices; Registered post with acknowledgement of receipt to the Regional Housing Directorate, located at Rua Dr. João Francisco de Sousa, n.º 30, 9500-187 Ponta Delgada; DRH email address - [email protected]. The Regulations, which contain all the information about the procedures and conditions for accessing and allocating housing, are available for consultation on the DRH website. Any requests for clarification on the understanding and interpretation of the Regulations should be addressed to the president of the jury and submitted by the interested parties in writing to the DRH Services in Ponta Delgada. Alternatively, they should be sent to the email address [email protected] no later than March 13, 2026. Requests will be answered within a maximum of three working days from the date on which they are received.

Nota de Imprensa
March 1, 2026
President of the Regional Government of the Azores addresses current international war situation
1. Amid the current international war context, the Government of Portugal and the Regional Government of the Azores have maintained contact and exchanged information, namely through the Cabinet of the Prime Minister of Portugal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the President of the Government of the Azores, monitoring the unfolding situation to date. 2. The Regional Government of the Azores defends regional and national interests and promotes the security of the Azorean people. 3. The Azores and their geographical position are an asset whose strategic centrality for Atlantic and Western security and defence, at a national level, within the context of NATO and relations with Portugal's allies, is now further confirmed by the current international situation. 4. The Regional Government of the Azores endorses the terms of yesterday's communiqué from the Government of Portugal, released on February 28. 5. The Cooperation and Defence Agreement between Portugal and the United States of America has been complied with, as reported by the Portuguese Government. 6. With the situation changing since yesterday, the Portuguese Government and the Regional Government of the Azores have agreed to intensify their contacts to keep each other informed and monitor developments.

Nota de Imprensa
March 1, 2026
José Manuel Bolieiro praises role of São Miguel Seniors' Association in "promoting citizenship"
The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, presided over the launch ceremony of the book “Homenagem Percursos – 2025," promoted by ASSM – São Miguel Seniors' Association, at a session marked by public recognition of individuals who have distinguished themselves through their service to the community. The head of the Azorean Government highlighted the significance of the initiative, emphasising that the work is "an act of gratitude and remembrance," praising the contribution of those who, throughout their lives, have served the common good with dedication and a sense of mission. José Manuel Bolieiro praised the work carried out by ASSM, chaired by Leonor Anahory, considering the association a benchmark in promoting the values of citizenship, solidarity, and respect for the experience and journey of older people. The President of the Government also highlighted the institution's role in combating isolation and promoting social and cultural initiatives on São Miguel Island. The book was presented by the Rector of the University of the Azores, Susana Mira Leal, whose presence was highlighted as a sign of the link between academic knowledge and the recognition of the Region's human and social legacy. The preface to the work was written by Gualter Furtado. This year's edition honoured Mário Fortuna, Vasco Garcia, Maria Teresa Flor de Lima, José Maria Lopes de Araújo, Maria Leonor Pavão Sequeira de Medeiros, Gilberta Rocha and António Lourenço de Melo, personalities who have left their mark in their fields of activity and the collective life of the Azores. In his speech, the President of the Regional Government considered that the honourees' careers serve as an "example for younger generations," noting that their contribution "is a source of pride for São Miguel and the Azores." Furthermore, he also praised the work carried out by the São Miguel Seniors' Association, highlighting its active role in promoting social, cultural and civic life on the island of São Miguel. José Manuel Bolieiro emphasised the Association's ability to mobilise its members and establish partnerships, promoting initiatives to strengthen civic participation, solidarity and the value of knowledge and experience. According to the President of the Government, "ASSM has significantly contributed to a more involved, more aware and more supportive society," as associations are a "positive force" at the service of the common good in the Azores. The ceremony brought together leaders, members and guests in a moment of celebration and recognition of the role of seniors in the construction and development of Azorean society.

Nota de Imprensa
March 1, 2026
Regional Government provides authorisation forms for activities in Marine Park
The Regional Government, through the Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies, announced that application forms for authorisation of activities and restricted uses in the Azores Marine Park are now available. This procedure, managed by the Azores Marine Protected Areas Network Management Authority (RAMPA), covers the ocean area between six and 200 nautical miles from the coast. The Marine Park is divided into two levels (full protection and high protection), requiring prior authorisation from the Management Authority for carrying out specific activities in these areas. With a view to ensuring rigorous monitoring and simplifying the process for users, two separate forms have been created: one exclusively for the fisheries sector and the other for scientific and maritime tourism activities. The Managing Authority clarifies that the only exception to the requirement for prior authorisation will be tuna fishing using pole and line gear in high protection areas. This exemption will take effect as soon as the law approved in January by the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores comes into force. It should also be noted that the validity of RAMPA authorisations will always be subject to the duration and frequency of the other licences legally required for each activity. Interested parties can access the electronic forms in the licensing area of the Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies at the following address: https://servicos-sraa.azores.gov.pt/doit/servicos.asp?id_dep=10&id_form=77.

Nota de Imprensa
February 28, 2026
José Manuel Bolieiro advocates for "profound" and "supportive" reform of local government financial system
The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, chaired today the closing ceremony of the inauguration of the governing bodies of the Azores Delegation of ANAFRE for the 2026-2030 period, which took place at the Teatro Ribeiragrandense. Manuel António Soares was reappointed as Coordinator of the Azores Regional Delegation of the National Association of Parishes (ANAFRE), at a time marked by recognition of the work carried out and a renewed commitment to the future. The head of the Azorean Government offered his congratulations to Manuel António Soares, highlighting his achievements and expressing confidence in the work that he will continue to carry out. The President of the Regional Government also congratulated the newly elected governing bodies and expressed his gratitude to all those who, over the years, have contributed to establishing ANAFRE in the Azores. For José Manuel Bolieiro, ANAFRE represents "a legitimacy that is representative of the people and the entire territory," playing a fundamental role in enhancing local government. Recalling his own experience as a local government official, he emphasised that local government is "decisive in developing the territory and transforming people," standing as a true agent of development. "Mayors do a lot with very little," he pointed out, mentioning local mayors as providers for the needs of the population and the politicians closest to them, those who are at the forefront of providing practical responses to communities. His speech focused on advocating structural reform of the local government financial system. The President of the Government considered the Local Finance Act "a key instrument for local authorities," defending the need for the fair distribution of national wealth among the country's democratic institutions. "Decentralisation cannot be an empty word, something pleasant to say but absent in deeds," he warned, defending the need to quantify and clarify what share of national wealth should be distributed to strengthen local government effectively. According to the President of the Regional Government, local authorities have taken on increasing responsibilities over the last 50 years without a corresponding increase in financial resources. "It is not acceptable to justify an increase in transfers with an increase in responsibilities. We must first address this chronic deficit in providing local authorities with solid financial resources," he asserted, noting that only after this issue has been resolved should the expansion of powers be considered. José Manuel Bolieiro also warned of the need to clearly distinguish between the Local Finance Act and the Regional Finance Act, considering that one cannot usurp funding from the other. "The purpose of a finance law is to redistribute the national wealth created in an equitable and supportive manner. Those who have more should give more to those who have less," he advocated, warning that the opposite would mean fostering asymmetries and compromising territorial cohesion. "We cannot give up on territorial cohesion," he stressed. In this context, the head of the Azorean Government stressed the importance of the whole country, including the Azores, supporting, within the framework of an eventual constitutional revision, "the empowerment and recognition of local democratic power in Portugal." In this context, he reiterated ‘a profound and supportive reform of the financial arrangements of local government, including parishes," stressing that, to date, the financial system has been "insufficient, inadequate and unfair" in view of the responsibilities assigned to municipalities and parishes. José Manuel Bolieiro also highlighted the importance of cooperation between municipalities and parishes, as well as the Autonomous Region's role in signing cooperation agreements with local authorities, increasing resources and improving capabilities. However, he stressed that these mechanisms are complementary and do not replace the need to improve the legal and financial framework of local government at a structural level. Furthermore, the President of the Government also advocated the approval of a new Budget Framework Law, along with a new Local Finance Act and a new Regional Finance Act, considering that the current legal framework is inadequate. The President of the Government also emphasised the social mission of local authorities, both helping the most vulnerable families and responding to marginalisation. He pointed out the growing role of parishes in climate action, civil protection, urban planning and spatial planning, in a context where extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense. "We must be able to respond to the destruction, but also to prepare the territory preventively," he said. He concluded by highlighting the relevance of ANAFRE intervening with European institutions, particularly within the scope of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, thereby strengthening the voice of Azorean and Portuguese parishes in the European context. The ceremony was attended by the President of the Board of Directors of ANAFRE, Francisco Branco de Brito, the Regional Director for Cooperation with Local Government, Octávio Torres, and mayors representing Azorean parishes. 

Nota de Imprensa
February 28, 2026
2026 School Megas Event brought together students from 20 Azorean schools
The Regional Phase of the 2025/2026 School Mega Games was recently held at the  Athletics Track of the João Paulo II Sports Complex in Angra do Heroísmo, bringing together students and teachers from six of the nine islands of the archipelago in one of the largest school athletics events in the Azores. This phase gathered 92 students and 17 accompanying teachers from 20 schools across the Autonomous Region of the Azores, in the Children's A, Children's B and Beginners categories. The events included Mega Sprinter, Mega Jump and Vortex Throw, providing an opportunity for young people to develop fundamental motor skills, experience a healthy competitive spirit and learn values such as personal achievement, inclusion, respect and fair play. The Vortex Throw activity was held on a demonstration basis, promoting participants' contact with different aspects of athletics. The event was organised by the Regional Directorate for Education and Educational Administration, through the School Health and Sports Centre, in conjunction with the Regional Directorate for Sports, through the Terceira Island Sports Service. It also had the support of the Terceira Island Athletics Association, the Angra do Heroísmo City Council, the Praia da Vitória City Council and the São Bento Parish Council. The School Mega Events are a highly significant initiative for School Sports in the Azores, promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging young people to participate in structured, educational and inclusive sports activities.