Regional Government boosts operational capacity of GNR with handover of nine off-road vehicles - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, chaired today the public handover ceremony of nine off-road vehicles to the National Republican Guard (GNR), representing an investment of €379,590 financed under the Regional Land Transport Fund (FRTT).

On the occasion, the President highlighted that this handover stems from the agreement established between the Autonomous Region of the Azores and GNR, which allows revenue from road traffic offences to be used to reinforce the operational resources of the security forces in the Region.

“We are securing resources generated by the work carried out, namely by GNR, and using these funds to invest in operational equipment that serves the Azores,” José Manuel Bolieiro stated, emphasising that this support covers eight of the nine islands of the archipelago.     

The head of the Azorean Government considered this investment to be in line with the spirit of “institutional cooperation” that marks Azorean autonomy, advocating a partnership of shared responsibility between the Region and the State.

“The Autonomous Region also works alongside the State to help it fulfil its sovereign duties, in this case, in the area of security. We work together to better serve Portugal, through a cooperative partnership between the State's institutions and those of the Autonomous Region of the Azores,” he said.

José Manuel Bolieiro also took the opportunity to express the Regional Government’s dissatisfaction regarding the failure to implement certain national measures in the Azores. In this context, he stressed that public policies must apply equally in the entire national territory.

The head of the Government also highlighted the future challenges associated with the Region’s maritime dimension, recalling the strategic role of the Azores in national and European security.

“Today, we are primarily concerned with land-based operational capabilities, but it is very challenging to consider the future and the Portuguese State’s responsibility for controlling its extensive maritime border. The Azores represent an important border for Portugal and the European Union, and it is essential that we have a proper understanding of the scale of this challenge, with GNR also playing a key role,” he said.

The current funding model stems from Resolution no. 143/2011 of November 28, under which the Regional Government determined that 60% of the revenue from fines for breaches of the Highway Code, its regulations and supplementary legislation, occurring in the Autonomous Region of the Azores should be allocated to the Regional Land Transport Fund. Half of this amount is earmarked for investments in movable and immovable assets for the Public Security Police (PSP) and GNR, with a view to bolstering their operational capacity within the Region.

Following the memorandum of understanding signed between FRTT and GNR in 2012, and in light of difficulties encountered by security forces in implementing certain investment projects, agreements were signed to transfer responsibility for investments totalling €589,736.74 to the Regional Fund.

As of today, seven light passenger vehicles, two light goods vehicles and three off-road vehicles have already been handed over to GNR, representing an overall investment of €210,146.44. With the handover of the nine new vehicles today, the planned investment has been completed, significantly strengthening the operational capacity of GNR across the archipelago.

The public ceremony took place at the premises of the Nature and Environment Protection Service (SEPNA) of the Ponta Delgada Territorial Unit on the island of São Miguel. It was attended by the Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral, the Mayor of Ponta Delgada, Pedro Nascimento Cabral, the Commander-General of the National Republican Guard, Lieutenant-General Rui Veloso, the Azores Territorial Commander of GNR, Colonel Cláudia Santos, the President of the Regional Land Transport Fund (IPRA), Marta Tavares, and Sergeant Rui Pimentel, representing the Commander of the Azores Border Guard Unit, Captain David Toste.