The President of the Government stated today that the path and the strategy developed over the last three years have yielded results for the benefit of Azorean families and companies, which encourage the Regional Government to continue addressing the challenges we face in the last year of the current legislative period.

"Azorean families and companies know that these years were very demanding and brought many challenges, but the fact is that the Azores of today are different than they were when this government entered into office," said Vasco Cordeiro. The President of the Government spoke at the end of a round of meetings with social partners and political parties for the preparation of the proposed Plan and Budget for 2016.

Vasco Cordeiro, who was accompanied by the Vice-President, Sérgio Ávila, received at Santana Palace the following entities: CGTP/Açores, UGT/Açores, Azores Fisheries Federation, Azores Agricultural Federation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Azores as well as representatives of the PCP, BE, CDS / PP, PS and PSD.

"Today, the number of employed Azorean citizens is higher than the figures registered when this Government entered into office."Today, there are more tourists on our island than when this Government entered into office. Companies have a better incentive system than when this Government entered into office," said the President of the Government.

Vasco Cordeiro stressed that he mentioned these aspects "not to say that everything is done and all is well," but to highlight that the strategy and the path that have been followed over the last three years "is yielding and will continue to yield results for the benefit of Azorean families and companies."

In this regard, the President of the Government recalled that the unemployment rate began to fall in the Region from the second quarter of 2014 and, consequently, the number of Azorean citizens who have found work increased. Moreover, the number of tourists visiting the Azores has been growing since November 2014.

As for next year, Vasco Cordeiro pledged to continue "this fight so that more Azoreans may find work" by mobilising the entire society, either through the requalification of human resources or through the implementation of incentive measures to private investment and support measures for companies.

"We are facing a challenge that has to do with the consolidation of the tourism sector so that it may benefit from the results of a strategy that has been implemented by the Regional Government with the changes to the model of air accessibility to the Region," said Vasco Cordeiro. In this regard, the President of the Government defended that the Government wants that this new model "produces better results and that they effective reach each island of the archipelago."
 
After this round of meetings, the President of the Government stated that there are "areas that require special care," pointing out, as example, the situation of the dairy sector following the dismantling of the milk quota system.

"The Government of the Azores has made clear the way how the tools to support our farmers overcoming this situation should be mobilised at a national and European level," said Vasco Cordeiro. The President of the Government recalled that the Government has recently created a line of credit in the amount of 30 million Euros and has made significant investments in the areas that reinforce the competitiveness of farms.

"If it is true that this has been done, we cannot ignore the size of the challenge we have ahead of us," the President of the Government acknowledged, considering that the income of regional fishers is another area that requires particular care.