The President of the Government said the State Budget for 2016, approved today at the Parliament, is good for the Azores because it solves unfair situations and helps Azoreans facing challenges in several areas.
 
"This State Budget puts, once again, the relation between the Region and the National Government on the right track in terms of the assumption of responsibilities on the part of the National Government regarding several matters," stressed Vasco Cordeiro.
 
The President of the Government spoke to journalists in Horta on the day when the National Assembly approved the State Budget for 2016 with the votes of PS, BE, PCP and PEV, the abstention of PAN and the votes against of PSD and CDS-PP.
 
According to Vasco Cordeiro, the approval of the State Budget is a moment of great political significance for the Azores because it restores justice in various fields, such as the case of the financial relation between the National Health Service and the Regional Health Service and the workers of regional slaughterhouses; the latter will benefit from a retirement scheme that takes into account the special circumstances in which they work.                             
 
"There are other relevant matters, including the 50 percent exemption in the Social Security contributions paid by dairy farmers, the Plan for the Economic Revitalisation of Terceira Island and the installation of weather radar network in the Azores; "the latter was proposed by CDS/PP, said the President of the Government.
 
"It is unreasonable that the MPs of PSD elected by the Azores - as the MPs of PS voted for - have not supported these proposed amendments and this Budget," said Vasco Cordeiro.