Vasco Cordeiro regrets that the National Government refused to support the Azores for the damages caused by bad weather
The President of the Azorean Government regretted the fact that the National Government refused to support the Region to recover from the damages caused by the bad weather that has recently hit the archipelago, despite being aware that 90% of the damages occurred in areas under the jurisdiction of the Regional Government.
"If 90 percent of the damages occurred in areas that are under the Regional Government's jurisdiction, this means that 90 percent of these damages will not be supported" by the National Government," stressed Vasco Cordeiro.
The President of the Government spoke to journalists, commenting on the decision approved by the Council of Ministers that increases the flexibility of the debt ceiling of municipalities so that they may face the damages caused by the weather that has recently hit the Azores.
On March 20, the President of the Government sent a letter to the Prime Minister requesting national solidarity in the face of the losses caused by bad weather conditions, which amounted to 35 million Euros.
According to Vasco Cordeiro, what was approved by the Council of Ministers represents a "refusal to the help request made by the Government of the Azores to the National Government."
"It would have been better if they had said they were unavailable to help because their support to municipalities is but a trick to deceive people," stated Vasco Cordeiro.
The President of the Government also considered that the National Government "lacked the courage to admit that a help request made by the Azorean Government would not be fulfilled."
"Trying to fool people in this way is unfortunately an act of political cowardice; the lack of dignity demonstrated by the National Government should also be noted by other entities in order to avoid similar situations", stated the President of the Government on the island of São Jorge.
Vasco Cordeiro added that the Region has not requested a specific allocation of support to the Portuguese Government; it only asked for help, "which was refused to the Azores and the Azoreans."
After pointing out that municipalities will have to deliver their opinion regarding this decision, the President of the Government stressed that this matter "concerns a country that has the dignity and the spirit of solidarity to help or, at least, the courage to say it cannot help."