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 Horta, at the end of the discussion of the Plan and Budget for 2024:

We have reached the end of the discussion of the proposals for the 2024 Plan and Budget, which the Government of the Azores, under my leadership, has presented to this Parliament to be voted on today.

This time, as every time before, we made sure that the Azoreans were well aware of the measures proposed by the Government, the benefits of their implementation or, alternatively, the consequences of their rejection.

This is how we act transparently! This is how we are clear! We accept all our responsibilities! And so the Azoreans because they are informed and can accurately pass judgment on our work.

Making a clear statement about what we want to do again and what we want to continue doing, with increased financial resources, explaining the advantages of our proposals, clarifying what we will no longer gain, or even what we will lose, if our proposals are not approved is not blackmail!

Neither with this Parliament, which will decide as it sees fit nor with the beneficiaries, for the people are free. It is merely speaking truthfully to the people!

And if that bothers PS and whoever else joins this party, it does not bother the people, who are our focus and who are with us. We are in good company with the people. And it is the Azorean people who matter! And we are talking about their present and their future.

Our way of life is under threat. And that threat has increased as a result of the war, which has returned to the European continent and the Middle East. Political upheaval is disrupting some of the largest and most stable democracies in the world in which we live. Now, there is also the political and governmental instability that we have suddenly been confronted with in our own country. All of this increases uncertainty and insecurity among people. The Government of the Azores, with the proposals for the 2024 Plan and Budget presented here, has done its part, making a strong contribution to reinvigorating the hope of the Azoreans and their confidence in a future that fulfils their legitimate ambitions.

With the proposals presented for the 2024 Plan and Budget, the Government of the Azores has passed a strong message of stability and commitment. They are absolutely necessary if we are to maintain the pace of economic growth to support the development we are aiming for and the strengthening of social support, which the adversities of the present time require. This is indispensable for the social cohesion of developed societies as well as for the consolidation of a climate of confidence that favours the investment of companies, and the innovation that attracts and mobilises people.

On behalf of the government I lead, I made a decade-long commitment, which has been successively fulfilled through the implementation of the Programme of the Government, the Medium-Term Guidelines, the annual plans and budgets that this Parliament has approved. We have already approved three of them, all as a result of the Government's proposals, as a result of fruitful dialogue with other parties and social partners, and also as a result of specific proposals introduced at the end of parliamentary debates.

And it was due to our commitment to openness, dialogue and inclusion of all those who want to move the Azores forward that we were able to shape a strategy, a series of regional public policies and implement a series of successful actions. Not only have they mitigated the damaging consequences of rising energy costs, food costs and housing costs, but they have also promoted economic and social development.

We have pursued a policy based on stability, which has required prioritisation, commitment and dialogue. With people in mind, we took action to reverse the vicious circle of debt and unemployment and gave hope to the Azoreans. We have governed and will govern differently from our predecessors!

We have promoted strong public policies, because they were devised in dialogue with the political parties that approved the Programme of Government, with the social partners and with other political forces that were open to dialogue with us. Taxes have been reduced to the maximum legal limit, with the opposition of PS, ensuring that the Azoreans have more money in their pockets.

We have created the "Azores Fare," a key element in strengthening regional cohesion and leveraging the economy of the less populated islands, which, even today, PS insists on belittling. 

Social contributions have been increased for the elderly, children, students and families, providing them with greater comfort and more opportunities to fulfil their life projects. Yes, and this Government wants a happy and successful life project for each and every family in the Azores.

We have supported companies in the various sectors of the economy, helping them to create wealth and stable jobs. We have the largest employed population ever in the Azores. We have supported workers with justice in view of their right to stable employment relations, against precarious labour conditions. Productivity has been promoted in agriculture and fisheries, favouring income growth for those who work in these sectors.

We have already developed and implemented a number of measures that precede a vast programme of public investment in housing, with a view to responding, above all, to the needs of young people and the middle class.

We have stabilised the employment situation of more than a thousand teachers and education assistants in the public administration. Aspirations have been recognised and the important role of education-related occupations has been recognised.

The careers of nurses and senior diagnostic and therapeutic technicians were duly settled with the awarding of points and retroactive payments, putting an end to injustices and ensuring that these professionals are treated with the dignity they deserve. An effort has been made to reduce the Region's public debt, which was noted by the Court of Auditors in its favourable opinion on the Region's 2022 account, the first since 2015. The financial agency Fitch also acknowledged this by upgrading the Region's rating to stable.

Azoreans can see and feel the results! Economic activity has grown for 28 consecutive months! It is undeniable. The private consumption index has grown for 30 consecutive months! It is undeniable. The highest number of people in employment ever! It is undeniable. The highest ever number of people in the labour market! It is undeniable. This is the lowest level of unemployed people registered in employment centres! It is undeniable. Azorean schools are open, students have classes and teachers feel valued! Hospitals, emergency rooms and health centres are working and serving their users! What a difference!

Circumstances matter. We cannot live ignoring them. La Palice would say that what is good is not bad. PS says that what is good is bad. But lasting results are the outcome of a good vision and persistence on a path. They are achieved through consistent progress! This is why the proposals for the 2024 Plan and Budget that we are presenting at this Parliament follow the course set by the approval of the Programme of the XIII Government of the Azores, drawn up on the basis of dialogue between the parties in the governing coalition and the consideration of other proposals from the political forces that supported it.

They are family-friendly proposals! They promote the creation of more and better jobs. They promote the construction of more and better housing. They promote the improvement of health services. They promote educational success and equal opportunities. They promote social development. They promote the fight against poverty by supporting the most vulnerable. These proposals stimulate economic growth at the service of the people, encouraging the generation of more wealth and reviving the business fabric of the Azores. They harness our agricultural potential. They encourage the movement of goods and services with new logistics networks on the regional road network.

Investing in the training fishers and developing the Azores Sea Cluster. Increasing renewable energy resources in power generation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing energy dependence. Strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the Public Administration in providing services to citizens and valuing its workers. The Azorean civil servants know that they can count on this Government. Unfortunately, it seems that it is only with this Government. This Government does not regard them, like others, as a burden on public expenditure. We say justice to the workers because they are our best capital. The human capital of our development.

We are prioritising the urgent implementation of the RRP, which provides for an investment of 300 million Euros by 2024. The Recovery and Resilience Plan, along with Construir 2030, is an opportunity that should mobilise the entire Azorean society, as it represents an unrepeatable opportunity to give a major boost to our collective development. Others want to delay. Not us, we want to move forward.

I came to this debate confident in my options and satisfied, for the reasons my speech has already shown, with the proposals put forward by the Government I chair. Nevertheless, I also came with the same spirit of openness and dialogue that has always guided my political activity. I am willing, as always, to listen to those who want to build and try to reconcile differences in favour of a common vision for the interests of the Azoreans.

Unfortunately, there were those who presented themselves based not on facts, as they should have been, but on virtual assumptions created solely and only todraw the conclusions that best suited them.

Anyone who, in this debate, as PS did, denied the proper course that this Government is following; anyone who, in this debate, failed to acknowledge the solutions found by this Government to address the mistakes made in the recent past in the Social area, Public Administration, Education, Health and in the approach to professionals, particularly in the latter two areas; anyone who, in this debate, failed to acknowledge the improvements achieved, already recognised by the professional associations, the unions and the social partners, has shown that they do not know what they are doing and that they continue to deny the heavy burden that they left behind.

Those who, in this debate, failed to acknowledge that the financial situation they created in 2020 was much worse than the one they faced in 2012, shows denial and an inability to look to the future; those who, in this debate, only spoke badly about everything, even the good things, show that they look at the interests of the Azoreans with disinterest; more than looking after the Azoreans, they are interested in wearing down the Government, governance and political opponents, because they are experiencing the deep anguish of having lost power; whoever, in this debate, those who have disinterested themselves from assessing the specific proposals of the Plan and Budget, because they are good and difficult to counter, dedicating themselves only to making generalisations about their 'pseudo' alternative, with slurs against their opponents such as lies, threats, blackmail, falsehoods and malice, reveals more about themselves than about the reality of the lives of people, families, companies and institutions - the widespread attack on the reputation of democratic and governing institutions has only highlighted the weakness of their history of power and the early and accelerated erosion of their opposition.

Those who, in this debate, focused their criticism on implementation - things planned that were not completed in two years - revealed that they were out of touch, because in eight years, or even 24, in many areas, but especially in the area of housing, they did almost nothing; those who, in this debate, demanded achievements from the Government for their proposals, and in some cases truthfully, only revealed the democratic nature of this term the parliamentary plurality and the vitality of the budgets, within the rule of law that we abide by; the intention was to criticise, but the demonstration was the recognition of the quality of the democratic and dialogue-oriented governance of the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition; those who, in this debate, demanded that everything be done - in three years - think that we turn everything that has not been done in 24 years into reality; those who, in this debate, have pointed out the disrepair of so many infrastructures on our islands have forgotten the responsibility of those who, for 24 years, abandoned the responsibility of ensuring their permanent maintenance and upkeep.

Speaking ill is easy. It is even the easiest thing! Doing good is difficult. We have done well the good that needed to be done and we have been able to do it with the limited resources we had and have! We have been doing what is difficult! Recovering what was abandoned! Hence, delaying what we want to do more intensely for the future.

Those who, in this debate, have dedicated themselves to drawing attention to the details so that the Azoreans would not see the big picture, have not looked at the Government's Plan and Budget proposals for 2024. They just wanted to find an example that was wrong, so that they could make false generalisations about everything; anyone who takes this position is no good at governing because there is no one who can do everything overnight and solve everything perfectly, everywhere and all the time; it is hard for PS to see who has done and is doing better than they did. This evidence jeopardises their level of confidence and hope.

 Those who, in this debate, as PS did, declared that the documents should be permeated with confidence and hope for the future are inconsistent when they accuse them of excessive optimism.

The inconsistencies are revealed in the anguish that remains in PS over the loss of power and the anxiety about its return.  As Sá Carneiro stated: "There is nothing that pays for sincerity in politics as in everything else." In this debate, bitterness and rudeness were predominant in the statement made by PS. Nasty A bitter rhetoric prevailed and the affirmation of alternative proposals languished. In fact, PS does not know where it is, let alone where it should be going. Early elections, for no reason or for all reasons, whatever, but the courage to table a motion of censure fails. It procrastinates the decision in the hope that others will dissolve the Parliament.

Our task is to govern well. Solving everyday problems and, above all, offering people a hopeful future. The commitment to the future that the Plan and Budget for 2024 make clear and the stability that I have ensured are pillars of hope. As such, I am and want to continue to be a benchmark for stability. Success is built on stability and acceptance of plurality. Success is built on bringing together those who, with a positive attitude, are open to participating. Therefore, building requires a positive, humble and dialogue-oriented attitude, which I will continue to maintain and nurture, always faithful to my values and to my commitment to serving the Azoreans!

Building takes time and consistency. I am firm in my determination to promote the solutions that will allow Azoreans to continue on this path with stability and confidence, which has brought us results that have improved the Azores. However, I am not unaware - I believe no one is - that a dissenting majority is going to reject these Plan and Budget proposals later today. We live in a State governed by the Rule of Law, where the existence of a budget is a pillar of the control and limitation of the Executive Power within the legal framework for the collection of revenue and public expenditure. The regular and normal functioning of democratic institutions under the Rule of law require the existence of an annual budget.

Article 15 of the Budget Framework Law for the Autonomous Region of the Azores requires the Regional Government to present a new proposal within 90 days of the date of rejection if the first proposal is not approved. We will present a new proposal to the Legislative Assembly before these 90 days are up. I will soon begin the procedure of presenting a new proposal, renewing and intensifying dialogue, above all, with the parties willing to participate in the solution rather than the problem. It is my clear understanding that it is not in the interests of the Azores to delay the entry into force of a budget for too long. Therefore, I declare from the very beginning that the Government is not going to exceed the 90-day deadline laid down by law.

It is my duty, on behalf of the Regional Government, to comply with the law. I will comply with the law. In addition to being a democrat, I abide by the rule of law by respecting the law. In the absence of a budget in force, in its due economic and financial year, the previous year's budget will be applied on a twelfths system. As such, there is no room for abuse of power in public expenditure. Nonetheless, this is not the ideal situation, much less in the implementation of the RRP in these two special years of 2024 and 2025.

In fact, His Excellency the President of the Republic believes that a budget is essential. As we have seen in the current national political crisis. I will also renew the hearing of social partners. Sooner than the legal deadline, we will be here again to debate and vote on a budget for the Azores, always in the interest of its development, which is achieved with stability, responsibility and continuity. It is the Azores and the people that are our focus. It is for the progress of the Azores that we dedicate our best knowledge and our daily efforts, without rest, but with the motivation of a mission. 

Long live the Azores, which are worth more than bland political debate."