Chega Azores admits that he voted for the region’s plan and budget for 2024, since negotiations with the Azores government on urgent issues are “developing very positively”, the regional leader of the party said this Monday.
“We had several meetings and several conversations with the regional government, and things were moving forward in a positive way. But it is too early for us to say what we will vote for,” said José Pacheco, who is also a member of the Azores parliament, in a statement to Lusa.
The previous budget was rejected at the end of 2023, with PS, BE and IL voting against and Chega and PAN abstaining, prompting the President of the Republic to dissolve the Legislative Assembly and call early elections for February, which the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition won without absolute majority.
In response to a question from Lusa this Monday, the President of Chega Açores said that the “negotiations” with the regional government (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) are “developing very positively” and “have nothing to do with what happened in the past.” when the party defended “a number of measures” which were “later not implemented”.
“Obviously, it is clear that if things develop positively, we are ready to approve this budget. The obligation that we have to the regional government is to conduct a multi-year analysis of documents, proposals and that it be bilateral,” he said. also highlighted.
According to the president of Chega Açores, “at the moment there is a certain loyalty, a certain commitment” on the part of the Azores executive regarding a number of demands and proposals of the party for the Azoreans on issues such as housing and the increase in the cost of supplements for the elderly, the so-called ” small check.”
“And we didn’t ask for too much. We asked for what we consider the most urgent, such as the protection of the elderly and housing, which is an emergency in the Azores,” emphasized José Pacheco, guaranteeing that the party will carry out an analysis at the end of each budget to understand and evaluate, what “was fulfilled and to what extent.”
The regional leader of Chegi also assured that the party will “work with full transparency, honesty and loyalty” and also guaranteed that in case of “any failure” of the regional government, the executive branch will no longer be supported.
“When things materialize and develop positively in favor of the Azoreans, we will be here,” he stressed.
The budget proposal, which will begin debate in the Azores parliament on the 21st, includes an amount of 2045.5 million euros, similar to that presented in October 2023 (2036.7 million).
In the February vote, the PSD, CDS-PP and PPM elected 26 deputies, three short of an absolute majority. Jose Manuel Boleiro, leader of the right-wing coalition that has held power in the archipelago since 2020, said he would rule with a relative majority for four years.
The PS is the second power in the archipelago with 23 mandates, followed by Chega with five mandates. BE, IL and PAN each elected one regional MP, adding to the 57 elected.
In March, the government program was approved in the Legislative Assembly of the region by votes for the parties included in the executive branch, with Chege, PAN and IL abstaining, and against PS and BU.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Sandra Hansen, a news website Author and Reporter for 24 News Reporters. I have over 7 years of experience in the journalism field, with an extensive background in politics and political science. My passion is to tell stories that are important to people around the globe and to engage readers with compelling content.