Carlos César reveals that the Regional Government will move ahead with new support measures for the business sector
Carlos César conveyed to the Azorean businesspeople a clear message of confidence in the future at the moment when he presided over the presentation ceremony of the magazine “As 100 Maiores Empresas dos Açores” (The 100 Largest Companies in the Azores), published by Açormédia that has been distinguishing regional companies and managers for twenty-five years.
The President of the Government defended that the European space in which Portugal is integrated is a space with economic stability, in addition to other factors that boost optimism, for example, the fact that the direct debt does not exceed 10% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the indirect debt is irrelevant, the tax burden on companies is not very heavy and the incentive schemes in the Region are, as I said, “absolutely generous and unprecedented in our country.”
Reminding that the regional GDP rose from 61% of the current European GDP to 72% over the last decade, the President of the Government said there are “reasons to be confident with these positive Azores, bearing in mind that we were the last of the country a decade ago and now we have reached 98% of the national average, surpassing the Norte Region, the Centro Region and Alentejo.”
On the other hand, “the main activity indicator regarding the third quarter of 2010 reveal, without exception, an improvement either compared to the previous quarter to the same period in 2009,” stressed Carlos César.
For the President of the Government, this is important information that “we must take into account because it means that despite the great difficulties we are facing, we have the energy, the work and we have made a breakthrough in the Azores, and therefore, we should believe that we can continue this journey both in easier and harder times.”
Carlos César stated that there are reasons for concern, but there are also reasons for hope and confidence, and reiterated his Government’s intention - despite the financial means are similar to the previous year – to reinforce the investments in the health and social sectors, and support the business sector given the slight reduction of the Plan and the change of priorities.
Revealing that the Government has thus a second agenda of public policies which will correct imbalances and compensate families and companies facing difficulties, the President of the Government added that we will even “strengthen the more determinant vectors of our medium-term socio-economic development and structural policies.”
The support to social stability and promotion of sustainable economic growth and competitiveness of companies were some of the vectors mentioned by Carlos César, who added that public investment will be reinforced in areas such as agriculture, fisheries, tourism and exports, among others.
The President of the Regional Government revealed that over 1300 companies have already benefitted from the credit lines established by the Government so that they may face the difficulties caused by the international crisis and announced that the Government will create new credit lines for the same purpose and reinforce the existing ones.