According to the Vice-President of the Government, the fact that there were less 1,389 Azorean unemployed registered at regional employment centres on August 31 compared to the month of April is "particularly relevant." The number of registered unemployed decreased for the fourth consecutive month.

Commenting on the latest data released by the National Government on employment, Sérgio Ávila considered that "the figures confirm the trend that has been registered in recent months" with regard to the decrease of unemployed registered at employment centres in the Azores.

For the government official, these data are "even more important when the number of unemployed continues to grow nationwide as of August."

Nevertheless, Sérgio Ávila stressed that "despite the satisfaction with these results, which confirm our expectations concerning the implementation of the Azorean Agenda for Employment Creation and Business Competitiveness," one must regard "these data with serenity, caution and without excessive optimism."

Despite emphasising that the decrease in the number of registered unemployed for the fourth consecutive month "is good news," the Vice-President said "there is still much work to do; there are still many Azoreans who do not have a job."

"These data encourage us to continue working and give us the confidence that we are on the right path," stated the government official.

Sérgio Ávila stressed that each of the 1,389 Azoreans who have improved their employment situation in the last four months give "strength to the Regional Government in order to continue helping the 11,600 Azoreans still registered at employment centres to find a solution for their professional situation as the 1,389 Azoreans found in the last four months."