According to Marina Mortágua, over the past two days, the Government’s “priority” has not been “to lower housing prices, resolve emergency issues, or protect the elderly from the heatwave,” but rather the nationality law.
The political leader spoke in Ponta Delgada at the closing session of the BE/Açores Convention, where António Lima was re-elected to lead the regional branch for the third time.
“It is the number one law proposal. The first Council of Ministers of this Government aimed to make it harder for children from China living in Portugal to access Portuguese citizenship,” she declared.
The Bloco coordinator accused the executive of “following the far-right agenda.”
António Lima, in his turn, accused the Regional Government of having had “unique conditions to save the airline with Chega’s support” but “managed to squander 453 million euros in public aid to SATA.”
“Today, SATA is worse than it was in 2020. Salaries were delayed in June, and the company’s growing financial difficulties are a serious alarm. The regional finance secretary claims that SATA International will either be privatized or shut down,” said António Lima.
The BE regional coordinator considered that SATA’s difficulties, “beyond poor management and constant political interference, are due to the air transport model created during Passos Coelho’s time,” which “costs millions annually and will cost SATA.”
António Lima stated that “upon reaching the Regional Government, the right increased public debt to lower taxes on profits and the wealthiest.”
“They covered the budget gap from tax cuts for the rich with public debt – 900 million euros in four years. Hence, this Regional Government is like a reverse Robin Hood: it cut taxes for the rich to indebt the poor and middle class,” he emphasized.
According to Lima, the “vast majority of Azoreans did not benefit from the tax reduction, but will pay for this debt,” making the Azores “the most unequal region in the country.”
Local elections were also on the agenda, with the BE/Açores leader stating that they will “advocate for a municipal policy that ensures the right to housing, environmental protection, and mobility.”
The leader mentioned a “real effort of convergence among left-wing parties in the Azores in these local elections,” but acknowledged that “in most cases, this convergence will not occur before the elections.”
However, he says it “will be possible in the concrete daily politics.”
“We remain open to dialogue in Ponta Delgada to finally chart a progressive course for Ponta Delgada,” he concluded.
