The action of the Government of the Azores in defending the principles and prerogatives of autonomy is "permanent" and it is neither the result of "strategies of a certain moment nor of impulses or interpellations."

The statement was made the Regional Secretary of the Presidency at the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday during an interpellation made by PPM to the Government on "the defence strategy and progress of the Azorean autonomy process within the current national and international economic crisis."

This "is a permanent strategy" that has been evidenced every time there is a "threat of centralist attack " to those which, according to the Regional Government, "are essential areas to the autonomy, André Bradford stressed, pointing out as "clear examples" the cases of RTP/A and the Regional Finance Act.

After noting that "there is a context favourable to those who have centralist pretensions" and that this attitude "is common" to all parties, the Regional Secretary of the Presidency defended that the action of the Regional Government in the defence of autonomy must be a "permanent action" and not the result of "public strategies or circumstantial interpellations."

André Bradford also considered that, due to its content and form, the interpellation made by PPM today should be addressed at PSD/A and not to the Regional Government.

According to the government official, an interpellation based on the action taken by the Government of the Republic and the fears that it may "restrain the action" of the self-government bodies of the Region should be "primarily addressed at" those who support it in the Azores.

The Regional Secretary of the Presidency also accused PSD/A of "ceasing to be a regional party whenever the actions of the Government of the Republic may be perceived as a problem for the Regional Government."

According to him, the option of "giving up the principles and the defence of the autonomic principles wherever it may become a problem for the Regional Government" necessarily puts the PSD/A in the "spotlight of this interpellation."

Furthermore, André Bradford also pointed out an "irreconcilable contradiction" in this interpellation since PPM, while acknowledging a context of financial difficulties, “wants to burden the regional budget with a series of services and responsibilities that are a national responsibility."