The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations defended in Ponta Delgada the need for unity and action towards the defence of Remoteness and Outermost Regions so that they may overcome the challenges they face.
 
"We have some challenges ahead and the major challenge is to convince decision-makers and all players involved in the process about our weaknesses and our potentialities," said Rui Bettencourt. The government official spoke at the opening session of the Regional Discussion Forum on "The Azores and the Challenge of Remoteness," emphasising the "ambivalence" that distinguishes Outermost Regions (ORs).
 
For the Regional Secretary, this is "a very important moment in which the European Parliament may take action" and there must be a "permanent perception" of the reality of ORs. In the case of the Azores, the archipelago is characterised by "considerable geographic dispersion, double insularity and double remoteness."
 
"We are at a very particular moment in our history and in our European history," Rui Bettencourt said, stressing that "Europe is now at a point of dispersion." Hence, this is the right moment to reflect on the ORs, namely on their role and their future, because "what we will do now can the course of history."
 
The Secretary for External Relations added that "mobilising citizens for the European process so that their future will not be decided by others" is another major challenge, calling for "proactive action" and contribution as "co-authors of the European project."
 
On the occasion, the Regional Secretary recalled the process of reflection and involvement of the Azorean society on the post-2020 period that was promoted by the Government of the Azores.
 
In his speech, Rui Bettencourt reiterated the position of the Azorean Government on the proposal of the European Commission as well as on the planned cuts for Community funds and financing for ORs. According to him, they "are not in line" with the Cohesion Policy, nor with what is defended for ORs in Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. In this regard, he expressed his concern about the "centralisation" of funds to the European Commission.
 
At the end of the forum, Rui Bettencourt attended the opening of the "Portugal and European in cartoons" exhibition, which may be visited at the Library of the University of the Azores for the next two weeks. He will also attend the screening of the film "Western," finalist of the Lux European Film Prize 2017, scheduled for tonight.