"We are making the Azores a better region to live in," stresses Artur Lima
Horta
Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional
The Vice-President of the Regional Government of the Azores, Artur Lima, presented the priorities of the areas under his administration for the 2024 Plan and Budget to the Regional Legislative Assembly today, emphasising that the coalition Government is "making the Azores a better region to live in" with "more social justice, more quality of life and less inequality."
"We are delivering and we are making the Azores a better region to live in. With more social justice, more quality of life and less inequality. With more support for families and more value for the working middle class," Artur Lima stressed, speaking in the city of Horta.
The current social and economic context, "marked by the inflationary crisis, a war that is raging in Eastern Europe, another in the Middle East and the acceleration of the implementation of EU funds, is extremely demanding", he acknowledged.
Faced with such a scenario, the Vice-President of the Government emphasised that the Azoreans do not need a "budget crisis that will make their daily lives and opportunities even more difficult."
"The Plan and Budget for 2024 is, therefore, intended to create conditions so that the Azoreans can continue to live better, without being held hostage to scenarios of political, economic and social instability. Yes, because a vote against this Plan and Budget will put the Azores in limbo. It will create a situation of uncertainty and political deadlock with unpredictable and damaging consequences for regional development," he continued.
A vote against the proposals for 2024 also represents, among other things, a negative position on "a responsible housing policy that is concerned about the future of Azorean families," the increase in funding to support the tripartite structure of the University of the Azores, "which will reach almost one million Euros for the first time," the granting of 600 scholarships to higher education students from disadvantaged backgrounds, with 10% of these aimed at students with disabilities, and against the increase in funding for the tuition fee support programme.
"Indeed, a vote against this Plan and Budget is, above all, a demonstration of social insensitivity towards the most vulnerable and the middle class. It is a vote against free daycare. It is a vote against families. It is a vote against the extension of the "Birth Plus" programme. It is a vote against free daycare. It is a vote against families. It is a vote against the extension of the "Birth Plus" programme. It is a vote against the creation of another seven study support centres out of the 12 planned. It is a vote against the increase in COMPAMID to 609 Euros, almost doubling the amount allocated in 2019. It is a vote against the new increase in the regional pension supplement to around 100 Euros a month for the elderly with the lowest pensions when it just stood a little over 50 Euros in 2019. Above all, the rejection of the Plan and Budget for 2024 jeopardises the desired expansion of the '"New Elderly" project throughout the Region, harming countless elderly people who need to stay at home," he continued.
Artur Lima also defended that the coalition is "a guarantee of stability and commitment to each Azorean and their family."
"The know that they can continue to count on this coalition. They know what our commitments are and they know that we want to continue to fulfil them. We will not be against the social progress of our Region, nor will we be irresponsible to put party interests above the regional interest. We will not be the perpetrators of political instability that the Azores do not need. Our responsibility is to govern and give the Azoreans on our islands and Azorean families the answers they need to live better lives. This is our responsibility and we are ready to continue to fulfil it for the Azores. With the Azoreans, always with the Azoreans," emphasised the Vice-President of the Government.
