Communiqué from the Council of the Government - Communication

The Council of the Government, which met on May 29, 2024 in Velas, São Jorge, adopted the following measures:

1. Approve the Regional Implementing Decree establishing the governance model and powers of the Managing Authority of the Autonomous Region of the Azores Programme 2021-2027, meeting the need to reduce procedures in this area. This amendment aims to streamline the management of European funds and ensure compliance with the application of internal legal sources according to their hierarchy.

The specific regulations of the Azores 2030 Programme are, in fact, a regulatory act that complements the general legislation of the programme and is aimed at regulating it at a technical level. For this reason, it should be approved by decree.

With a view to ensuring a more efficient and swifter public administration, based on the internal legal sources according to their hierarchy, this amendment has been made so that the specific regulations of the Azores 2030 Programme can be approved by a decree issued by the member of the Regional Government responsible for the matter.

2. Approve the regional implementing decree regulating the "Incentive System for the Digital Transition of Companies in the Azores," under the Recovery Plan (RRP), to adapt it to regional specificities.

The addendum to the RRP-Azores of May 26, 2023, introduced a change to the investment framework with the inclusion of the investment "Capacity Building and Digital Transformation of Companies in the Azores."

These investments require an authorisation to grant forms of support to companies with headquarters or establishments in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, as Decree-Law no. 6/2015 of January 9 has a scope of application restricted to Mainland Portugal.

3. Adopt the Resolution approving the funding operations to be carried out by the Autonomous Region of the Azores, up to a maximum limit of €185,000,000.00, to meet the needs arising from the implementation of its Budget.

4. Approve the Resolution ratifying the decision not to award the contract and the subsequent annulment of the restricted tender procedure by prior qualification, with a view to signing the service provision contract for the development of a technological solution to support the implementation of the Integrated Information Management System of the Regional Government of the Azores (SIGIGRA).

It ratifies the decision not to award the Restricted Tender by Prior Qualification, with a view to signing the service provision contract for the development of a technological solution to support the implementation of the Integrated Information Management System of the Regional Government of the Azores and subsequent repeal of the procurement decision.

The decision ratified herein is based on the existence of unforeseen circumstances that required the alteration of fundamental aspects of the tender procedure, which led to delays that could jeopardise the achievement of the target for component 19 of the RRP-Azores, i.e. December 31, 2025.

5. Approve the Resolution authorising an amending agreement to the Programme Contract 2019-2021 between the Government of the Azores and the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital (HDES) in Ponta Delgada.

The Government Council Resolution 26/2024 of 10 May declared the state of regional public disaster following the fire that broke out at the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital in Ponta Delgada.

Although the damage and losses caused by this situation have not yet been estimated, some situations have already been identified, which require a response from the Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security.

Some of these situations involve providing the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital with the capacity to respond to the immediate shortcomings identified. This is necessary to guarantee its operation, namely by setting up a ‘bank of support human resources,’ be they qualified professionals, such as medical, nursing or diagnostic and therapeutic staff, or other type of workers needed for the immediate responses that have been demanded of the HDES Board of Directors.

There are also other situations requiring special attention, such as the increase in the cost of fuel, the cost of patient transport services, the cost of transporting workers to workplaces other than their usual ones, the cost of amending the basic conditions of maintenance contracts for medical and communications equipment, the increase in the cost of reactants, laundry services, surveillance and security services, and other costs incurred with the acquisition of services from service providers, as part of the need for an immediate response to the situation that has arisen at HDES.

It is also important to respond to and take responsibility for the costs incurred with the support and follow-up of HDES users, namely the provision of care services and the promotion of their well-being and quality of life, given the number of users transferred to private social solidarity institutions.

6. Approve the Resolution adapting Resolution no.291/2021 of December 21, which created the Mission Structure for the Promotion of Social Responses for the Elderly, to the organisational structure of the XIV Regional Government of the Azores.

According to the organisational structure of the XIII Regional Government of the Azores, the Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government incorporated the Regional Directorate for the Promotion of Equality and Social Inclusion.

The Regional Directorate for the Promotion of Equality and Social Inclusion is responsible for promoting, monitoring and assessing the implementation of policies, measures and programmes on the promotion of equality and social inclusion. Therefore, in 2021, the aforementioned Government Council Resolution determined that the Mission Structure for the Promotion of Social Responses for the Elderly would be under the direct administration of the Vice-President of the Regional Government.

However, the organisational structure of the XIV Regional Government of the Azores has determined that the Regional Directorate for the Promotion of Equality and Social Inclusion would become part of the Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security, so it is necessary to adapt Government Council Resolution no.291/2021 of December 21 to the organisational structure of the XIV Regional Government of the Azores.

7. Approve the Resolution introducing amendments to the price system in force for oil and energy products in the Region.

Without prejudice to the stability policy that we intend to continue promoting in fuel retail prices, it is important to improve the price system in force in the Region to make it more flexible to market fluctuations. 

It is necessary to adjust the reference values of the Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products (ISP), which are currently set in Government Council Resolution no. 44/2019 of March 29.

8. Approve the Resolution amending the completion period for various housing construction contracts from 540 days to 450 days.

The contracts in question are as follows:

- Construction of 15 dwellings on plots 1 to 15 of Loteamento da Achadinha, parish of Achadinha, municipality of Nordeste;

- Construction of multifamily dwellings on plots 1, 59 and 60 of São Pedro Neighbourhood, parish of Maia, municipality of Ribeira Grande;

- Infrastructure contract, construction of 39 dwellings and demolitions as part of the 3rd Phase of the Urban and Housing Redevelopment of the Nossa Senhora de Fátima Neighbourhood, Santa Cruz, Praia da Vitória;

- Construction of four dwellings in the Casteletes Housing Development (Urzelina) on the island of S. Jorge.

9. Approve the Resolution authorising the expenditure and procurement of the works contract for the "Construction of 52 apartments on lots 1 and 2 of the Detraz os Mosteiros Multifamily Housing Development, located at Largo das Freiras, parish of Matriz, municipality of Ribeira Grande," with a base price of €6,700,000.00.

10. Approve the Resolution delegating to the Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment the powers to carry out all the necessary procedures to draw up the public tender concerning the "Works Contract for the construction of infrastructures in Candeias Housing Development, parish of Fenais da Luz, municipality of Ponta Delgada."

11. Approve the Resolution authorising the expenditure and procurement of the works contract for the "Refurbishment of two properties in the municipality of Ribeira Grande, São Miguel Island, located at Rua Antero de Quental, 11 (Conceição) and Rua da Alegria, 119 (Rabo de Peixe)."