Speech delivered by the President of the Government - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

Full text of the speech delivered today by the President of the Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, in Horta at the presentation of the Programme of the XIV Regional Government of the Azores:

"Today, we begin, here at the Parliament, the debate on the Programme of the XIV Regional Government of the Azores.

It was delivered to this House last week, following its approval by the Council of the Government, and according to the schedule agreed with the political parties with parliamentary seats.

As generally agreed, this debate is taking place after the national legislative elections.

With autonomy and absolute respect and autonomic dedication, we have separated the national debate from our specific priority, which is the Azores, our people and our collective future.

We acknowledge, with distinction, the prestige of our self-government bodies.

In the Azores, at any time or on any occasion, we will not allow our autonomous soul to be obscured or relegated to the background.

We have made the right choice and we are to be congratulated. 

The Programme of the XIV Government of the Azores, which we are now presenting, explaining and debating, is based on five pillars:

- First: people and families, which are our priority. Things are afterwards and at the service of the people, on each island, in each municipality or parish.

- Second: reformist and consistent governance, which, now that we have more knowledge and experience, we will pursue more effectively.

- Third: governance based on constant and enriching dialogue, capable of building the consensus necessary for the efficient implementation of the best public policies.

- Fourth: governance that promotes qualification as a social lever, the main path to building a society where equal opportunities prevail.

- Fifth: governance that strengthens our business fabric, which must be focussed on generating wealth, as this is the most important way of creating jobs and consolidating social stability.

The priorities of this Programme of the Government are the actions that ensure consistent and reformist governance, with policies that produce measurable positive results for the Azorean economy and society.

This Programme of the Government is also the result of the social and political debate that took place during the election period, in which we all took part, encompassing themes and proposals that are common to other parties and social actors.

Therefore, this Programme of the Government is for everyone.

For all Azoreans, for all islands, for all families, for all companies and all institutions in our Region.

It is a Programme of the Government that praises our identity, our history and our autonomic legacy.

It is a Programme of the Government that projects the future and new ambitions.

The national and international political and economic contexts call for understanding, a sense of responsibility, firmness of purpose and a continuous willingness to engage in consistent dialogue with persistent and consistent action.

As a peripheral archipelago region, we face difficult and complex challenges, first and foremost economic growth and wealth generation, bringing us closer to the social and cultural development indicators of the country and Europe.

If politics is understood as a balanced coordination between the possibilities of those who decide and the interests of those who benefit from those decisions;

If politics is understood as a balanced coordination between political stability and the defence of alternatives;

Then we cannot conceive of a dogmatic option, with the eternal prevalence of one over the other.

Political stability is useful if there is a capacity for consensus and permanent adjustment of interests to the possibilities.

If these opportunities change, then the level of satisfaction of interests will also have to be adjusted accordingly.

Values and principles must be consistent and enduring, and so must strategic goals.

In a political and economic crisis caused by a mismatch between interests and possibilities, the response of reformist politicians consists of reconfiguring interests to make them compatible with the existing possibilities.

In my understanding, political, social and labour stability is a requirement for progress, to which the Azorean people are entitled, now and for the sake of their ambition towards a more prosperous future.

In fact, our present is more of a crossroads than a single and safe path.

There are more uncertainties than certainties.

There are many doubts.

All of this requires, first and foremost, to constantly search for what unites us, instead of highlighting the small things that divide us, losing focus on the essential and the consensual, which is what makes progress.

If everyone stays in their corner, then they will not be able to build the response that the future success of democracies and development demands.

And, in fact, there is much more that brings us together than what separates us beyond repair.

In analysing each of their proposals in depth, I found that there are clear convergences with us, namely:

The defence of democracy and all forms of individual and collective freedoms, as well as the promotion of greater participation by civil society in legislative and referendum initiatives.

The fight against corruption by granting more powers to the Corruption Prevention and Transparency Office, extending the scope of its action to all government departments.

The development of programmes for the management of unused public property to ensure proper use. The promotion of efforts to revise and repeal outdated legislation.

The reduction of taxes as well as the control and reduction of the regional public debt.

The fight against early drop-out from education and training to reduce current levels to a figure below 15% by 2028.

The revision of the basic education curriculum for the teaching of History, Geography and Culture of the Azores and Citizenship, incorporating financial literacy, starting in elementary school.

Increased investment in school sports, particularly water sports.

The closer coordination with the private and social sectors to optimise resources and intensify the provision of health care, with the progressive extension of opening hours for consultations and complementary diagnostic tests and other services, both in hospitals and in the primary care network.

The implementation of pet sterilisation campaigns in conjunction with local authorities.

The implementation of a programme for the removal of waste from fishing gear and the installation of monitoring devices on professional and recreational fishing vessels.

The compensation for the reduction in income caused by the implementation of the Marine Protected Areas Reserve.

The implementation of a strategy to create new routes and attract air operators to the Region.

The promotion of an energy use strategy, for example, through biogas.

The planning for the maintenance of the Region's architectural heritage.

The planning for the use of rainwater in public buildings.

In short - these are just a few examples, some of which are less commonly debated, but which show exactly how positions and solutions converge. They must be followed up.

After the political fray of the electoral campaign, it is now appropriate to deal with the convergence of policies and goals that the different electoral programmes have presented to the Azoreans, as well as to consider the due proportionality of democratic suffrage.

Therefore, with the Programme of the Government, we have the opportunity to put aside incidental differences and converge on what is essential.

The essential is the ability to overcome the many challenges that the Azorean society faces, providing it with the necessary means to succeed and to achieve better educational, social, cultural and economic indicators

Doing otherwise is doing the worst public service of an entire generation.

The problem lies not with democracy, but with the specific political actors who use democratic devices to promote an insurmountable division in society.

A divided and unresolved society is a society condemned to anarchy and poverty.

The legitimacy of political power is strengthened by its ability to solve conflicts so that it does not become highly fragmented and self-destructive.

Conversely, legislating, governing and exercising power with our backs turned to the people is also the fastest route to failure, protest and political, social and labour instability.

Balance is the key.

Being a benchmark for stability is synonymous with responsibility. 

For our part, for my part, we will do everything we can to create an environment of social peace and dialogue on our islands, without giving up our differences, but making them only a starting point and not an end in themselves.

The economic and financial cycle is very demanding and simultaneously fragile, particularly from a financial standpoint, as it is unrepeatable and unavoidable.

EU funds and private investment are essential for employment.

There cannot be economic growth or job creation without investment.

The XIV Government of the Azores will encourage society to take a leading role in unlocking and developing its real potential.

We intend to allocate a significant part of the available financial resources to boosting and strengthening the private and public business fabric, making them more competitive.

We want to support investment in the production of tradable goods, whether for export or import substitution.

The Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Azores 2030 programme are opportunities that cannot be delayed or hindered.

This Programme of the Government represents a paradigm of commitment to the Azoreans.

Towards a solidarity-based region that is also attractive to foreign investment.

A commitment to enhancing our usual external cooperation, with elements of economic cooperation as well.

A commitment to promoting the careers of civil servants and private sector workers.

A commitment to involving young people, who are greatly needed on our islands.

A commitment to an autonomous society, with access to free and independent information.

A commitment to a cohesive and harmonious local administration as a partner in our territorial development.

A commitment to families, working with them to fight the terrible scourge of drug addiction and addictive behaviours.

A commitment to the educational and training success of our main asset - people.

A commitment to the success of universal access to health care.

A commitment to a new and effective boost in the supply of housing for Azorean families.

A commitment to promoting an efficient and decarbonised transport policy, with increased frequency, predictability and stability.

A commitment to the progressive fulfilment of the Strategic Partnership Agreement 2023-2028.

A commitment to fulfilling the commitment made to the European Commission regarding the recovery of SATA and the privatisation of Azores Airlines, under the most favourable terms for the Region. 

A commitment to the vigorous defence of our political autonomy, within the Portuguese constitutional framework, and to the defence of the Azores, before a country and a European Union that is co-responsible for their full social and territorial cohesion.

We stand firm in our assumption of autonomous governance for the present and, above all, for the future.

We still have to solve many problems from the past, but we also have the motivation and political project to prepare and break new ground for our collective regional future, with innovative solutions for our long-term development.

We are motivated to leverage progress not only in the assets of the present but also in the potential of the geography and the civilisational transitions of our era! 

Belief in hope!

I believe in our islands.

I believe in the Azoreans.

Long live the Azores!"