The President of the Government reminded on Monday that “all the public expenditure per capita in the Azores, including the state and regional expenditure as well as the expenditure related to Community funds – is lower than the average expenditure per capita in Mainland Portugal.”
Emphasising that statement, Carlos César stated that “with or without autonomy, all public expenditure per capita in the Azores is lower than the figures registered in Mainland Portugal and, therefore, no one is making a positive and amoral discrimination of the Azores.”
Quite the contrary, as he also stressed, “if we take into account the statistics, in this case we are even providing national solidarity.”
Defending that “we must put things in their places,” the President of the Government also mentioned the prestige and the value the Azores have brought to the country during the course of history, revealing the existence of an ongoing process submitted by the Region for the classification of the Portuguese continental area due to the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Azores.
“The possibility of expanding our country consequently corresponds to a perspective and a huge potential for future wealth, which may enhance the sustainability of national development,” stated the President of the Government.
According to Carlos César, “we are in the same territory; we are in the same boat and, thus, everyone is expected to do their best, each in its own way, to ensure that citizens have a better life.”
The President of the Government spoke on the sidelines of an audience granted to Presidents and other member of the Council of Terceira and assured that “the rudeness and lack of civility of some politicians and even of some commentators” on the issue related to the compensation allowance “are sometimes offensive, but do not thwart us from our principles and obligations.”
On the other hand, stated the President, “it is extraordinary that the Government is considered immoral for supporting families and these same commentators, particularly from some sectors, do not consider immoral the fact that the Government of Madeira spends four million Euros per year in a newspaper for advertisement purposes, which is the Jornal da Madeira.”
As he added, “that does not seem to be important for the country to discuss,
 but it seems very important for the country to discuss the nature of a support awarded to families and workers in the Azores.”