The head of the Madeiran government, Miguel Albuquerque (PSD), outlined today a set of unresolved issues with the Republic, which will be addressed at a meeting with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in Lisbon, as they “require political decisions from the national government.”
“First and foremost, we need a resolution from the Council of Ministers to launch the third phase of the hospital project,” he emphasized, speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a visit to a commercial establishment in Funchal.
The official confirmed that the public tender for the third phase of the new Madeira hospital, initially planned for last year, will be launched this year. However, he explained that “a resolution from the Council of Ministers is necessary to clarify both the cost update and the assumption of responsibilities for 50% [of the expenses] by the State.”
Another issue on the agenda is the second aerial firefighting unit assigned to the Regional Civil Protection Service, which should have been operational since July 1 but is delayed due to early legislative elections, he noted.
Also prioritized for discussion at the meeting are the costs of the health subsystems for central government workers in Madeira, currently borne by the Madeiran government (PSD/CDS-PP), and the revision of the Regional Finance Law, he highlighted.
Miguel Albuquerque also mentioned that the issue of VAT (Value Added Tax) refunds for Private Social Solidarity Institutions conducting works under the Recovery and Resilience Plan needs to be resolved.
