The Vice-President of Government stated in Horta that "today as yesterday," the ambition and motivation of the Regional Government for the future is "to do more and better for the Azores, with the Azoreans." He highlighted the results already achieved in the increase of jobs, the reduction of unemployment and economic growth, above national averages.
 
"What we have achieved so far with Azorean workers and our companies is the motivation to strengthen the effort to achieve more and better," stressed Sérgio Ávila at the Legislative Assembly.
 
The Vice-President spoke during an interpellation to the Regional Government on economic growth and job creation. According to him, the "new period of hope and confidence" in the Region and in the country is based "on the economic recovery that must now be strengthened, bearing in mind the growing sustained and sustainable development of our Region.
 
"It was worth all the effort to allocate financial resources to support measures that - even at the peak of the adverse international environment and the impact of the national austerity measures - were implemented in the Region," said Sérgio Ávila.
 
Mentioning indicators that are certified and used internationally, the government official stressed that "if in economic terms there is a recovery of the national economy, the truth is that the economic growth in the Azores" is "higher than in the country in the last two years."
 
In fact, he stressed, "our economy is growing at a rate still higher than in the country" and the economic growth "already reached 2.1% in the Azores while in the country it increased 1.4%."
 
As for employment, Sérgio Ávila stressed that there are currently 12,200 more employed than there were only three years ago and that the unemployment rate decreased by half in the same period.
 
"And still yesterday, the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training revealed that there has been a new decline in unemployment and that unemployment in the Azores has been the lowest since 2011," said the government official. He reiterated that "these results stem from joint efforts with Azorean companies and workers."
 
"By fulfilling the Azorean Agenda for Employment and Business Competitiveness, whose effectiveness some doubted in the beginning, we managed to reach the goals established and we can now, with even more confidence, reconsolidate the recovery of economic activity," said the government official.
 
In terms of private consumption, there was a 4.9% increase in ATM withdrawals the last month, compared to the same period last year, and a 12% increase in the sale of food products.
 
In 2016, there was a growth of 39% in the purchase of homes in the Azores, which is the double that in the rest of the country.
 
Also in the construction sector, there is a positive evolution with building permits increasing by 14% in the first quarter of this year and cement consumption by 27% in the same period.
 
As for tourism, the revenue of the sector increased 26.9% by April this year, registering a growth of 38.5%.
 
The primary sector is still experiencing cyclical difficulties, but this year is already showing some positive indicators, namely the increase in value of dairy products sold outside the Region, which resumed growth, with a 3% increase.
 
These, among other indicators mentioned by the Vice-President, support investors' confidence. In this context, he announced that "585 applications have already been submitted under the new incentive system, Competir +, representing a private investment of more than 265 million Euros. "
 
"This year alone, there were 229 new companies in the Azores, which represents an increase of 14.5% compared to the same period of last year, while insolvencies decreased by 25%.; there were only 18.
 
"We look at these indicators, with satisfaction, but with the awareness that they are only the beginning of the path we intend to follow with the Azorean people," said the government official. According to him, "the merit acknowledged of the Azoreans by the President of the republic when he stated that the Azores and I quote: "Much has been done, much is being done now - in economic growth, in controlling the deficit, in combating unemployment - and these steps are an indisputable merit."