“The consistency, which was the choice of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, both in regard to personalities and the structure, is positive because the consistency of public policies and coherent governance, in stability, help solve problems. Instability and inconsistency of public policies create problems for the Portuguese, the Azoreans, and economic development,” stated José Manuel Bolieiro, the head of the Azorean executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM).
The designated Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, presented his second government today, which will have 16 ministries, one less than the previous one, and will retain thirteen of the 17 ministers from the outgoing administration.
When questioned about the composition of the new executive, on the sidelines of the plenary session of the Legislative Assembly of the Azores in Horta, José Manuel Bolieiro expressed “satisfaction and confidence” that there would be “good cooperation” and a “government of understanding to solve the problems of the entire country.”
“It will be a government of continuity to ensure the reformist process that was being developed,” he emphasized.
Among the pending issues concerning the region, the head of the executive highlighted “an upward revision of the Autonomous Regions Finance Law, which has been undermining the financial sustainability of the Azores for some years now.”
José Manuel Bolieiro also pointed to the continuation of the Public Service Obligations process for non-liberalized air transport routes in the archipelago, noting that “it has been lacking since 2015,” affecting the Azorean airline, Azores Airlines.
The replacement of the undersea fiber optic cables, the co-financing of the repair of the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, damaged by a fire in May 2024, compensation for fishermen who may suffer income losses with the creation of protected marine areas, and the defense of POSEI programs with European institutions were other topics highlighted by the president of the Regional Government.
The inauguration of the XXV Constitutional Government is scheduled for Thursday at 18:00, 18 days after the elections, marking the fastest government formation process in the presidential mandates of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
