The President of the Government announced in Horta that the Azorean Government is working in the management process of the Azores Sea, based on very clear proposals about what should be done to safeguard and meet the Region's interests in this matter.
 
"The Regional Government has a very clear idea about what should be done, restating what has been said before: it is working towards the achievement of the Region's goals and the defence of its interests. In this regard, we are waiting for the National Government to analyse this issue," said Vasco Cordeiro at the Legislative Assembly.
 
In the debate raised by an interpellation addressed to the Government on the theme "Sea and Blue Economy," Vasco Cordeiro stressed that, "regarding the management of the Azores Sea, the first aspect to be clarified is precisely the legal issue."
 
"The Government of the Azores has been working on this prior and fundamental aspect," said the President of the Government. He recalled that in view of the Decree-Law that established the Basic Law on Maritime Planning and Management, presented by the previous National Government, the Regional Government has requested the assessment of the constitutionality of this legal document.
 
In a decision that was not unanimous, with significant dissenting opinions on the arguments put forward by the Region, the Constitutional Court has ruled out that there was no problem with the constitutionality of the law.
 
"We conformed with the decision of the Constitutional Court as we believe the problem is not legal, but political," said Vasco Cordeiro. He added that, as a result of this effort, the Government has submitted to the Minister of the Sea a more complex proposal that goes beyond the rules of the Basic Law, as it addresses the Basic Law itself in order to, once and for all, "clarify the matter."
 
Furthermore, the Azorean Government has requested three legal opinions that bear witness of the Government's understanding on this matter, which, to a large extent, are line with some of the dissenting opinions issued in the judgement of the Constitutional Court.
 
"We are waiting the National Government to conclude the analysis of the proposal submitted by the Government of the Azores," said the President of the Government.
 
Given these facts, it is clear that "we have already carried out a thorough work that is under analysis. We hope that, as soon as possible, we may continue this thorough work with the National Government to build a good solution that meets the regional goals for this matter, bearing in mind that the Region should have a voice in matters related to the sea," said the President of the Government.
 
During the parliamentary debate, Vasco Cordeiro assured that there is absolutely no secret in this process unlike what happened in 2014, when the previous National Government had not formally communicated to the Region the "Blue Atlantis" project; the latter was directed to the deep sea but failed to be approved.