The Government reiterated today, at the Azorean Parliament, the uncompromising defence of radio and television public service in the Region - RTP-Açores - endowed with the necessary conditions to render this service to the Azorean population.

The Regional Secretary of the Presidency gave voice to this determination, speaking at an urgency debate on the matter in which he criticised the "unilateral unsupported, unprepared, untimely and centralist decision," announced by the Minister, to reduce RTP-Açores broadcasting to a daily four-hour "window."

Andrew Bradford told Parliament Members that as soon as the decision was made known, the Government led by Carlos César have developed a series of initiatives among the RTP Administration and the Government of the Republic, demonstrating the importance of RTP-Açores to the Azorean population and refuting the data released on the actual annual operation costs of this public service in the Region.

In his speech, the Regional Secretary called for the union of the Parliament in defending the maintenance of a radio and television public television service that respects the Autonomy and interest of the Azorean population against the "reduced broadcast" as well as the right of the self-government bodies of the Region to be previously heard on these decisions.

"The Regional Government is sure that the self-government bodies were disregarded. They were neither heard nor this Assembly, nor the Government on the decisions with direct impact in the Region, autonomy and interests of the Azores," stated André Bradford.

Furthermore, the Regional Secretary of the Presidency criticised the position taken by PSD, which defends that the Region should also contribute to the funding of RTP-Açores, when this is a State's responsibility.

André Bradford pointed out the successive "second thoughts" of PSD on this matter and even mentioned a speech delivered in February this year, in which the PSD party defended that the Government of the Republic was responsible for funding RTP-Açores, the same position the Regional Government has always defended.

Another different position, taken by the leadership of the PSD-Açores on another occasion - said the Regional Secretary - defended the allocation of funds under the Regional Finance Act to RTP-Açores and the University, a solution which is not acceptable, since this means "a substantial reduction of autonomy" if one allows the Government of the Republic "to allocate certain funds for certain purposes," which weakens the Regional Government's ability to make decisions regarding the management of the funds granted to the Region.

André Bradford also criticised the "lightness" of the model submitted by PSD for RTP-Açores, based on a partnership between the State, the Region and private entities, because as I said, "you have no idea on the composition of capital, the leading partners, the share assigned to the Region, the State and to private entities. You have not been able to "come up with" a potential private entity that might be interested in this solution as you do not have any idea regarding the costs, the staff, the type of broadcast; you know nothing," concluded the Regional Secretary.