Azoreans should be able to retire earlier, defends Artur Lima - Communication

Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional

The Vice-President of the Regional Government, Artur Lima, announced today in Angra do Heroísmo that a draft bill will be submitted to the Regional Assembly in September, which aims to "create a special access scheme to retirement pension for Azoreans" in accordance with the average life expectancy.

"The Regional Government intends that Azoreans have the possibility of retiring earlier on a fair and equitable basis," he said.

"The Azoreans have a proven average life expectancy below the national average, having been found that an Azorean can expect to live on average two years and seven months less than the rest of the Portuguese population," he explained.

He continued: "As they live less, the Azoreans contribute to Social Security as much as others, but they benefit significantly less than others."

"With this proposal, we are fulfilling the Programme of the XIII Regional Government of the Azores," he stated.

Artur Lima spoke today at the opening session of the second edition of the seminar on "Social Security Contributory Schemes," held at the António Dacosta Auditorium of Tomás de Borba Basic Education and Secondary School.

The Vice-President of the Government stressed that a discussion on the sustainability of Social Security "cannot, at any time, fail to take into account regional realities and indicators," which "require us to look differently at what is objectively different."

"The Azores experience certain social problems with a more significant impact than in Mainland Portugal," mentioning, as an example, the average life expectancy, which is "lower."

For this reason, it is "absolutely fair" that, given the "social demands specific to the Region," there should be a "positive discrimination in the access of Azoreans to Social Security and its rights," namely to retirement pensions.

Addressing the seminar promoted by the Institute for Social Security of the Azores (ISSA), Artur Lima stressed that it was a "good opportunity to discuss the functioning of Social Security and its relevance in the response to those who need it most."

The seminar was coordinated by Ana Celeste Carvalho, Associate Judge and President of the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Lisbon, and Nuno Monteiro Amaro, Master in Administrative Law and guest lecturer at the Porto Business School.