The Government of the Azores has authorised the issuing of guarantee to Saudaçor - Sociedade Gestora de Recursos e Equipamentos de Saúde dos Açores in the amount of 50 million Euros for the restructuring of the company's financing resources, which will also allow the reduction of the financial burden arising thereof and the early payment of loans.

The measure was announced in Horta during the presentation of the press release from the meeting held by Council of the Government. It was created in the context of the management of the Regional Health Service with the aim of optimising resources and ensuring the continued provision of services in this sector.

The savings arise from a significant lowering of interest rates obtained in financial markets, which will ensure an annual reduction of 2.3 million Euros in financial costs without any increase in the regional debt.

On the other hand, these funds will allow to anticipate the payment of loans that were only expected to be paid in the coming years.

During the presentation of the press release, the Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs, Isabel Rodrigues, announced that the Council of Government also approved the new housing scheme based on leasing, designated as "Families with Future".

With this programme, which is in operation for less than four years, the Regional Government promoted the widespread access to adequate and proper housing to more than a thousand Azorean families.

The new rules provide an increase in the support for single-parent families and establish the criteria on the allocation of housing to families in a situation of severe housing shortage. Moreover, the support to beneficiaries who have reached five years under the lease support programme will be extended with a new application period.

The Council of the Government has also decided to establish the System for the Allocation of Support Products in the Autonomous Region of the Azores (SAPA-RAA). It is targeted at people with disabilities as well as to people with a temporary disability that require support products.

With regard to education, the Council of the Government has decided to authorise the opening of the international public tender for the construction of the new facilities of Canto da Maia Basic Education School and approve a proposal for Regional Legislative Decree amending the Teaching Staff Statute for Preschool, Basic Education and Secondary Education levels in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.