The State Budget for 2017 has allocated 375 thousand Euros to the Participatory Budget of Portugal (OPP) for the implementation of regional projects by citizens residing in the Azores who, following the public sessions held in Horta, Angra do Heroísmo and Ponta Delgada, have submitted 24 proposals.
 
Among the 24 projects submitted by Azorean citizens, 16 have a regional scope (eight in the area of Internal Administration and eight in the area of Justice) and the remaining eight have a national scope (three in the area of Agriculture and five in the area of Culture).
 
In addition to being able to present regional proposals in the areas under the State jurisdiction - Internal Administration and Justice -, citizens residing in the Azores could submit projects in the areas eligible for the Portuguese mainland territory in the fields of Agriculture, Science, Culture and Education And Adult Education, which may have an indirect applicability in the Region.
 
The 16 regional proposals are available for consultation on the OPP website at https://opp.gov.pt/propostas/area-geografica/regioes-autonomas/zona-geografica/regiao-autonoma-dos-acores. The technical assessment for the selection of projects to be selected to the national voting phase is scheduled for June 1.
 
Each citizen will be entitled to two votes; one vote for a regional proposal and one vote for a national project.
 
The Government of the Azores, a partner of the National Government for the implementation of the OPP in the Region, invites all citizens to consult the projects and to vote.
 
Interested parties may obtain further information and follow OPP at the address https://opp.gov.pt/ or through the Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OrcamentoParticipativoPortugal/?fref=ts.