The independent deputy Carlos Furtado revealed on Monday that he is studying the continuity of support for the Government of the Azores, accusing the PPM, which is part of the executive, of “breaking” the parliamentary agreement on the budget of the Regional Assembly.
In a statement, the independent deputy says that the parliamentary advocacy agreement signed with the executive parties (PSD, CDS-PP and PPM) is “mortally wounded”due to the criticism he received from the monarchist leader Paulo Estêvão during the discussion of the budget of the parliament of the Azores.
Without the support of the independent deputy, the Government of the Azores does not have a majority in the Regional Legislative Assembly.
Carlos Furtado understands that the matter will deserve his reflection and will only be available to discuss the continuation of his support for the current government solution with JMB [José Manuel Bolieiro]”, the statement read.
On Friday, the budget of the Legislative Assembly was approved in plenary session with the favorable votes of all the benches, with the exception of Carlos Furtado, who voted against.
The independent recognizes that he was the target of “several parliamentarians”, but considers that the “strange criticism” was “a deputy elected by the island of Corvo”, the leader of the PPM, who accused him of being “populist and demagogue”.
Carlos Furtado recalls that, in the parliamentary incidence agreement that endorses the Regional Government, headed by José Manuel Bolieiro, a “reduction in the number of deputies” is expected in the parliament of the Azores.
The parliamentarian says he is not “surprised by the position of Paulo Estevão who has assumed, throughout this legislature, an unjustified thirst for protagonism and power, manifested in government demands disproportionate to the electoral results of the PPM”.
The deputy, who was elected in October 2020 by Chega, but who became independent in July 2021, stresses that “due importance has not been given to the 2,960 voters” who elected him.
The Regional Government depends on the support of the parties that make up the executive, IL, Chega and the independent deputy.
The Legislative Assembly of the Azores is made up of 57 deputies and, in the current legislature, 25 are from the PS, 21 from the PSD, three from the CDS-PP, two from the PPM, two from the BE, one from the Liberal Initiative, one from the PAN, one from Chega and one independent deputy (elected by Chega).
The parliament of the Azores plans to spend more than 14.3 million euros in 2023, the largest amount ever made in this body and which is 1.7 million euros more than the initial budget for this year.
When he became independent, Carlos Furtado guaranteed “all the necessary support” to the Government of the Azores, refusal to draft a new parliamentary impact agreement despite having disassociated himself from Chega.
“I told the president of the Regional Government that he will have all the necessary support from me. The signed documents, the commitments of honor made at the end of 2021, when the Regional Assembly was installed, will be the commitments that are going to be fulfilled,” said Furtado.
Source: Observadora
