The Legislative Assembly of the Azores issued a positive majority opinion on the proposed State Budget for 2025 (OE2025), only with the favorable votes of PSD, CDS-PP and PPM, parties that govern in the region.
The opinion, to which Lusa had access this Monday, It was voted for the first time by the eight parties with parliamentary seats. Until now, only the parties that make up the Economy Commission of the Azores parliament have voted on the ruling.
The PS, the largest opposition party, with 24 deputies in the Azores parliament, abstained from the state budget proposalas did the Liberal Initiative (one deputy), while Chega (five deputies), the Bloco de Esquerda (one deputy) and the PAN (one deputy) voted against.
With 26 deputies, the right-wing coalition that governs the region (PSD, CDS-PP and PPM) does not have an absolute majority, dependent always in agreements with other parties to approve the proposals of the executive, headed by the social democrat José Manuel Bolieiro.
The State Budget proposal foresees the transfer of a budget of almost 320 million euros to the Azores, under the Finance Law of the Autonomous Communitiesand about 280 million for Madeira.
The document, which defines the guidelines of the Government of Luís Montenegro for next year, determines, however, that the two archipelagos cannot increase their “net debt”being able to resort to new loans, up to a value of 75 million euros, but only for “debt consolidation” or to “settle late payments.”
On Friday, José Manuel Bolieiroannounced an increase of 75 million euros in transfers from the State Budget to the Azoresincrease foreseen in a proposal to modify the document that will be voted on during the debate in the specialty.
The Government of the Azores demanded an increase of 150 million in State transfers to the region in 2025, within the framework of the change in VAT capitation in the Regional Finance Law, providing incur a debt at that value if the claim was unsuccessful.
This Monday, the president of the Government of the Azores stated that the reinforcement of 75 million euros in the State Budget will reduce the need for debt in the region.
“The 75 million come to reduce the need for financing, through the regional budget debt of 150 million. Which means, Instead of resorting to a debt of 150 million, we will use 75 million. This was what was articulated with the Government of the Republic,” said José Manuel Bolieiro, who spoke to the media on the sidelines of the signing of a protocol with the Navy, at the headquarters of the Presidency, in Ponta Delgada.
The final global vote on the 2025 State Budget proposal is scheduled for November 29.
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Source: Observadora
