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 Ponta Delgada at a press conference:

"On the thirteenth day of the implementation of the Plan and Budget for 2023, the XIII Government of the Azores is pleased and proud to have a Plan and Budget with the strongest social component ever.

We took up the challenge of standing by the Azoreans in the most adverse and uncertain times.

We do not turn our backs on difficulties and problems.

Unlike others that raise problems, this Government provides solutions.

We have increased the Regional Pension Supplement from 54 Euros to 97 Euros, almost doubling its amount.

Pensioners can count on the solidarity of this Government.

We have increased the COMPAMID support, whose amount increased from 1.2 million Euros to 6 million Euros.

The elderly count on the solidarity of this Government, unlike the previous government, which limited the amount of support to 54 Euros and 14 cents from 2016 to 2020.

We have made daycare free of charge for all children, a budget investment that has increased from 164 thousand Euros to 3.5 million Euros, now covering 2,900 children when it previously covered only 700 children;

Families can count on the solidarity of this Government.

We increased the financial support granted to displaced patients by 15%, a figure three times higher than inflation in 2022;

Patients can count on the solidarity of this Government.

We have increased the regional family allowance supplement by 15%;

We have increased the funds for school welfare support by about 22%;

Students and their families can count on the solidarity of this Government.

We have increased the amount of Supplementary Remuneration for Public Employees in our Region, an overall investment increase of about 1 million Euros;

By lowering the VAT, corporate tax and personal income tax rates by 30% compared to national rates, this Government has saved families and businesses 140 million Euros until the end of 2023.

With the reductions in the tax on oil products to mitigate the increase in fuel prices, we are saving consumers 15 million Euros.

Unlike the previous government which illegally collected taxes on oil products, a situation highlighted by the Court of Auditors.

We have exempted Azorean fishers from auction fees.

Fishers can count on the solidarity of this Government.

We have paid the POSEI measures without apportionment.

We have contributed to the purchase of maize and pasture seeds;

Farmers can count on the solidarity of this Government.

We have torn down the wall of regional mobility by promoting internal tourism with the "Azores Fare." Others were and are against the "Azores Fare."

60 euros for round trips to each of our islands.

However, we must continue responding to the challenges.

We have not been overwhelmed by the problems.

We have implemented solutions that mitigate the expected difficulties.

The Regional Government has developed, for this year, a price monitoring system to prevent and take action in any situation of price speculation.

This price monitoring mechanism will produce monthly reports available to all Azoreans on the prices of the main food products.

We intend to protect Azorean families and have sufficient information for the eventual regulation of prices.

As regards our companies, which were unfairly forgotten by the National Government in the compensation measures set out in the wage increase agreements, they can count on the solidarity of this Regional Government.

But the Government of the Azores will not forget them.

We will ensure that our companies are able to pay better salaries to their employees.

As part of the 2023 budget, we will implement the MAIS Programme, a measure aimed at supporting salary increases. It is estimated to cover up to 55 thousand workers in our Region.

Hence, this will be a stimulus for the updating and calculation of the average salaries of companies. We estimate a total investment of 10 million Euros for workers.

Just like the Immediate Liquidity Support, the Government will inject these funds into our companies until the end of the first quarter of 2023.

Social development partners can count on this Government.

We have increased the standard value for Residential Structures for Elderly People, from 1,001 Euros to 1,208 Euros per user, corresponding to approximately 18% per user.

With a view to mitigating the impact of the increase in fuel costs, we have also created the so-called social fuel. 

For families with bank loans, the Government will create a system to support the increase in interest on home loans, which will be available in this first quarter of 2023 and take effect on  January 1, 2023.

Also, in this first quarter, the Government will allocate funds for the capitalisation of our micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, as a result of the efforts made by the Regional Government with Banco de Fomento.

With a view to ensuring public transport price fares from spiralling, the Government will provide support to public transport and create a social fare scheme, with prices to be paid by passengers.

With regard to energy prices, the creation of the Solenerge scheme and its effective implementation will be a structural contribution to energy transition and to the reduction of energy costs in 2023.

The Regional Government will continue to take steps with the National Government and ERSE - Energy Services Regulatory Authority so that entrepreneurs and traders in the Azores are not heavily burdened by the imposition of very high tariff increases.

This Government began its governance by changing the paradigm and standing by the People and companies of the Azores.

We have, thus, confirmed our path."