Final vote approval in National Assembly reinforces State’s commitment to Corvo’s demands, emphasises Paulo Estêvão - Communication

Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades

The Government of the Azores welcomed the approval of the amendment to the Financial Scheme for Local Authorities in the final overall vote in the National Assembly. This amendment guarantees the municipality of Corvo access to the Parish Financing Fund, a decision approved by a significant parliamentary majority, with only one party abstaining.

This vote marks the conclusion of the legislative process initiated by a draft proposal approved by the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, which aimed to rectify a historical injustice concerning the country’s only municipality, which, under the Political and Administrative Statute of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, holds both municipal and parish powers.

The Regional Government now hopes that this legislative amendment will take effect as soon as the next State Budget comes into force, enabling the municipality of Corvo to receive funding from the Parish Financing Fund.

For the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão, “the final approval of this legislation rectifies an injustice that has dragged on for decades and represents a significant victory for Corvo and its inhabitants.”

“The National Parliament has recognised what we have always advocated: it made no sense for the only municipality in the country which, under legal obligation, exercises the powers of a parish to remain excluded from the Parish Funding Scheme,” stated the government official. 

Paulo Estêvão believes that this outcome  “is the result of persistent work carried out over many months, involving the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the Government of the Azores, the municipality of Corvo and the various parliamentary groups in the National Assembly, whose members were able to put the public interest above political differences.”

“It is particularly significant that this solution has garnered such broad consensus, culminating now in its approval by a virtually unanimous final vote. This consensus is also a clear sign that this measure should be reflected in the next State Budget, so that it can take effect without further delay,” he added.

The Regional Secretary also pointed out that the Regional Government was the first to recognise this reality at regional level by including the municipality of Corvo in the Fund for the Development of Azores Parishes, thereby ensuring that this local authority would also benefit from the Region’s financial cooperation mechanisms intended for parishes.

“The Region took the first step. The Portuguese State is now following this decision, finally recognising an administrative reality that is unique in the country and guaranteeing the municipality of Corvo the financial resources commensurate with the responsibilities it carries out daily to serve its population,” concluded Paulo Estêvão.

The Government of the Azores would like to thank all the entities and institutions that took part in this process for their contribution, in particular the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the municipality of Corvo and the parliamentary groups in the National Assembly, which helped to build a solution based on broad consensus. As such, it has been possible to resolve a situation of inequality that had persisted for several years.