On Friday, the President of the Regional Government, Carlos César, will begin a two day meeting with social partners and political parties to discuss Medium-Term Strategy Programme (OMP) and the Regional Investment Policy Programme for 2009.

The OMP programme outlines the principal public investments for the next four years and thus embodies the developmental strategy adopted by the Regional Government of Carlos César, whose mandate finishes at the end of 2012.

Traditionally, the OMP programme is approved in the year preceding its implementation. This did not happen in 2009 due to the fact that there were elections for the Parliament during the time habitually reserved for parliamentary approval.  The Regional Investment Policy Programme comprises public investment projects that the Regional Government will execute in a period of 12 months.

The Regional Government anticipates that it will submit its OMP proposals and its Budget and Annual Plan for 2009 to Parliament on March 2nd even though Carlos César considers its expedient execution a matter of great importance, given the present world economic conditions.

Before being considered by Parliament, OMP proposals and the Investment Policy Plan will be presented at the headquarters of the Regional Strategic Council in a meeting scheduled for February 2nd in Horta, Faial Island.

The schedule of meetings that President Carlos César begins on Friday:

FRIDAY

10H00: Bloco de Esquerda Açores (Leftist Bloc)
10H45: Partido Comunista Português-Açores (Communist Party of Portugal, Azores branch)

11H45: Partido Popular Monárquico Açores (Monarchist Popular Party, Azores branch)

14H30: CGTP/IN Açores (General Centre for Portuguese Workers, Labour Union)

15H30: UGT/Açores (General Union of Workers, Labour Union)

16H30: Federação Agrícola dos Açores (Agricultural Federation of the Azores, Agricultural Association)

MONDAY

10H30: CDS-PP Açores (Popular Party, right wing political party)

11H15: PSD/Açores (Social Democratic Party, Azores branch, centre-right political party)

12H00: PS/Açores (Socialist Party, Azores branch, centre-left political party)

15H00: Câmara do Comércio e Indústria dos Açores (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Azores)