Communiqué from the Council of the Government - Communication

The Council of the Government, which met in Ponta Delgada on February 2, 2023, approved the following measures:

1 - Approve the Resolution establishing the Salary Increase Support Mechanism - "MAIS," which aims to encourage and support the increase in the base salary of salaried workers in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, through the granting of financial support for salary increases.

As there has been an increase in the minimum salary, it is essential to create a measure to offset this increase and stimulate an increase in the base salary of salaried workers in the Autonomous Region of the Azores by granting the following financial support:

• Support for the Increase of the Average Salary;    

• Support for the Increase of the Minimum Monthly Wage in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

"MAIS" is aimed at private employers, including those in the social sector, with headquarters or permanent establishment in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

The financial support for the Average Salary Increase is set at €174.00 per full-time worker, whenever it is verified that companies report, as of January 2023, an increase in the average salary of the company's workers equal to or higher than 5.8% compared to the average salary in December 2022.

The financial support for the increase of the Monthly Minimum Wage in the Autonomous Region of the Azores is set at €174.00 per full-time worker, whenever it is verified, according to the salary statement for December 2022, that the worker received a base salary lower than the Monthly Minimum Salary in the Autonomous Region of the Azores for 2023.

2 - Approve the Draft Regional Legislative Decree approving the Teaching Career Statute in Preschool, Basic and Secondary Education in the Autonomous Region of the Azores. 

The Programme of the XIII Government defends the urgency in promoting the attractiveness and dignity of teaching, as decisive factors in attracting and maintaining better-qualified professionals. This is essential to the enhancement of educational success and, consequently, to the importance of Education as an element of social advancement.

Alongside the creation of incentives for teaching degree programmes, based on the granting of scholarships and financial incentives for the pursuit of teaching master's degrees in the Region, it is important to focus on the increase in the qualification of teaching internships and the granting of autonomy in the first year of the teaching career. This will not only afford greater social recognition to young teachers but also ensure the quality of teaching in regional schools.

Special emphasis should also be given to the improvement of teaching conditions as a decisive factor to reduce the stress associated with the teaching profession in a society that is increasingly plural and demanding. This will ensure equal treatment among teachers at different education levels as well as between them and Public Administration workers, a goal of utmost importance in terms of labour and social justice.

Mechanisms are also introduced to restore the length of service of teachers working in the Region who, following the application of Regional Legislative Decree no. 26/2008/A of July 24 and Regional Legislative Decree no. 15/2019/A of July 6, 2019, have a longer total career than that applicable to new teachers.

As such, the teaching career in the Autonomous Region of the Azores is the most attractive in the national territory without the imposition of quotas and with the consideration of the full length of service for progression purposes, based on the principles of equity in its structure.

3 - Approve the Resolution extending to 2023 the "Birth Plus" programme, which allocates non-refundable financial support to meet the need of promoting the well-being and health of Azorean children from the very first moment. It intends to counter the low birth rates and depopulation trend in the 12 municipalities of the Region that registered a population decline above 5% between 2011 and 2021 (Povoação, Vila Franca do Campo, Nordeste, Praia da Vitória, Santa Cruz da Graciosa, Calheta, Velas, Lajes do Pico, São Roque do Pico, Lajes das Flores, Santa Cruz das Flores and Corvo).

As part of its programme, the Regional Government has made the commitment to create measures aimed at increasing the birth rate to combat demographic erosion and stimulate the increase in the birth rate, making these matters a priority in the context of regional public policies.

The "Birth Plus" programme has a budget of €1,500,000.00 (one million, five hundred thousand Euros).

4 - Approve the Resolution authorising the reinstatement of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in the Visit Azores Association.

The return of the Region as a founding member of the Visit Azores Association is consistent with the strategic importance of the tourism sector for the XIII Government of the Azores, namely the need to recognise the legitimacy of the association, in conjunction with the Regional Government, as the entity responsible for the external promotion of the Azores with national and international entities in the tourism sector. It is also important to consolidate the reputation of an association that has the potential to promote the Azores and their attractiveness in tourism, encouraging a more selective and effective promotional campaign that will contribute to improving the external promotion of the destination as a whole. 

The absence of the Autonomous Region of the Azores from the board of the association, currently designated as Visit Azores Association, does not seem appropriate, considering both the association's financing model and the type of regional tourism promotion agencies.

Hence, the XIII Government of the Azores approves, on the basis of strategic public interest, the readmission of the Autonomous Region of the Azores as a founding member of the then ATA, now designated as Visit Azores.

Nevertheless, the XIII Government of the Azores made sure that the notice of readmission, addressed to the Board of Directors of the Association and its associates, which was unanimously accepted at the General Assembly held on January 23, established that the membership of the Region in that association is based on five fundamental pillars.

Firstly, the Regional Government shall hold the Presidency and the majority of the Board of Directors as well as appoint an Executive Director, if such is required.

Secondly, the Regional Government shall be informed of the overall financial situation and the accountability of the entire management history of the then ATA and now Visit Azores, which may include an audit.

Thirdly, the future management process should be based on rationality and the reduction of operating costs.

The revision of the association's Statutes to ensure that these principles are upheld is also a fundamental pillar.

Finally, as a last fundamental pillar, the Regional Government, after the readmission of the Region, shall be responsible for carrying out the statutory revision.

5 - Approve the Resolution authorising the expenditure estimated at €16,320,000.00 (sixteen million, three hundred twenty thousand Euros), under the Regional Cohesion and Economic Development Support Fund, through a public tender procedure, with a view to signing a contract for the provision of services to ensure the inter-island transport of liquid fuels in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

For the purpose of ensuring the economic development of the Region and the well-being of its population, it is necessary to continue the inter-island maritime transport of liquid fuels on a regular basis.

Based on the specificities of the market supplying this type of service and the type of vessel required, as well as the specific features of regional ports, it is essential to provide a contract term of three years, with the possibility of renewal, so as to foster more effective competition and ensure more attractive price proposals.

6 - Approve the Resolution renewing, for 2023, the subsidy for passengers residing in the Azores Autonomous Region, with a view to promoting social and territorial cohesion in the Region, the so-called "Azores Fare."

Since the implementation of the "Azores Fare," the residents of the Autonomous Region of the Azores have embraced it in a very significant manner, promoting the inter-island mobility of people and goods, generating a new economic dynamic and stronger social cohesion.

The "Azores Fare" was not conceived as temporary and it is intended to remain in full force.

Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate it into the Regional Budget for 2023 and to stipulate an expenditure limit. 

The subsidy to be granted will have a budget limit of €6,500,000.00 (six million, five hundred thousand Euros) for 2023.

7 - Approve the Regional Implementing Decree proceeding with the first amendment to the Regional Implementing Decree no. 23/2022/A of November 15. It regulates the "Support schemes for product innovation and production and organisation processes, for green transition and digital transition, aimed at the restructuring of regional companies involved in the processing and marketing of agricultural products."

With the approval of this amendment, eligible expenses are as follows:

• the construction, acquisition, including leasing, or refurbishment of property;
• the purchase or lease-purchase of machinery and equipment up to the market value;
• general costs related to the fees of architects, engineers and consultants, the cost of consultancy services on environmental and economic sustainability, including feasibility studies;
• acquisition or development of computer programmes and acquisition of patents, licences, copyrights and trademarks.

They can now benefit from the maximum rate of support of 80% for SMEs when it previously stood at 75%.

8 - Approve the Resolution authorising the transfer of use of the outdoor areas of two urban buildings and a rural property owned by the Region, located in the parish of São Pedro, Vila do Porto, to AGROMARIENSECOOP, Cooperativa de Produtores Agropecuários da Ilha de Santa Maria, CRL, free of charge.

This transfer will remain in force for 4 years and is intended for cantaloupe production.

9 - Approve the Resolution approving amendments to the Regulations on the land transport of patients, applicable to land transport services of urgent and non-urgent patients.

It is necessary to adjust the co-funding rate, both per crew member and the number of crew members required in different locations. It is also important to adjust the minimum rate per km for the transport of non-urgent patients as well as the amount to be paid per km on duty.

10 - Approve the Resolution establishing that the competences of the medical boards in the Autonomous Region of the Azores fall under the responsibility of island health units.

The medical boards are composed of a clinical director, or their substitute, and two physicians appointed by the former.

When health units do not have a sufficient number of doctors within their staff to establish medical boards with three members, they will be set up with the clinical director, or their substitute, and with the maximum number of doctors available.

11 - Approve the Resolution granting support in the area of Sport and participation in international sports competitions to the following entities:

• União Sebastianense Futebol Clube in the amount of €2,590.00 (two thousand, five hundred ninety Euros) for participation in the qualification phase of the Europe Trophy Women, Group D, senior table tennis, in the 2022/2023 sports season;
• Associação de Jovens da Fonte do Bastardo in the amount of €19,479.25 (nineteen thousand, four hundred seventy-nine Euros and twenty-five cents) for participation in the 1/8 finals of the Challenge Cup Men 2023, senior category, in the 2022/2023 sports season;
• Associação de Jovens da Fonte do Bastardo in the amount of €5,024.00 (five thousand, twenty-four Euros) for participation in the 1/4 final of the Challenge Cup Men 2023, senior category, in the 2022/2023 season;
• Clube Kairós in the amount of €12,760.00 (twelve thousand, seven hundred sixty Euros) for participation in the 1/16 finals of the 2023 Challenge Cup Women, senior category, in the 2022/2023 season;
• Clube Kairós in the amount of €15,284.00 (fifteen thousand, two hundred eighty-four Euros) for participation in the 1/8 finals of the Challenge Cup Women 2023, senior category, in the 2022/2023 season.

12 - Approve the Resolution authorising the signing of a contract for the provision of services for the development of a technological solution to support the implementation of the Integrated Information Management System of the Regional Government of the Azores, with an estimated cost of €2,000,000.00 (two million Euros), through the launch of a tender limited by prior qualification to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This investment, under the RRP-Azores, represents, in addition to other investments in the ecosystem of the Regional Public Administration with its users, a new impetus for the modernisation of regional administrative activity.

13 - Approve the Resolution authorising the signing of a contract-programme between the Autonomous Region of the Azores and the company Ilhas de Valor, S.A., for 2023, in the amount of €3,750,000.00 (three million, seven hundred fifty thousand Euros). It is aimed at the implementation of the Investment Plan and activities of the said company, with particular relevance in the area of regional cohesion.

The Investment Plan under consideration includes, among others, the following actions:

• Investment in the São Miguel Golf Courses;
• Investment in the Business Incubator of the Santa Maria Business Development and Innovation Centre and renovation of the Airport Area;
• Investment in the Graciosa Hotel
• Investment in the Flores Hotel;
• Investments in the Caldeira Santo Cristo Youth Hostel on São Jorge Island.

14 - Approve the Regional Implementing Decree altering the membership of the Regional Public Administration Advisory Council of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, a body that has as its mission to reflect and discuss the main guidelines and modernisation of the Regional Public Administration.

This Council, although endowed with a flexible structure, is based on the representation and participation of civil society, public services, trade union representatives and individuals of recognised merit.

• The Regional Public Administration Advisory Council will now comprise the following members:
• The head of the Regional Administrative, Transparency and Anti-Corruption Inspectorate;
• The Regional Director for Cooperation with Local Government;
• The head of the Azores Regional Statistics Service;
• The President of the Board of the Agency for the Modernisation and Quality of Citizen Service;
• The Coordinator of the Mission Structure for the Modernisation and Public Administration Reform;
• A representative of the Association of Municipalities of the Autonomous Region of the Azores;
• A representative of the National Association of Parishes - Azores Delegation;
• A representative of the Economic and Social Council of the Azores;
• The representatives of regional and local administration workers' unions will increase from five to six members.

15 - Appoint Manuela Margarida Anglin Ferreira de Melo Cabral Gomes de Menezes as President of the Board of Directors of the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital (HDES) and Sandra da Conceição de Sousa Pereira da Silva as President of the Board of Directors of the São Miguel Island Health Unit (USISM).