The Budget Proposal for the Autonomous Region of the Azores for next year, submitted by the Government to the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, estimates the global allocation of 1,117.3 million Euros, excluding memorandum accounts.
The information was provided by the Vice-president of the Government in Horta on Tuesday during a pressing conference, also attended by the Regional Secretary for the Presidency; for the public presentation of the proposals for the Regional Annual Plan and Budget for 2011.
According to Sérgio Ávila, the Budget for next year is characterised by a “great effort” from the Government in the reduction of costs with the Administration, such as “the 1.7% reduction of funding costs, excluding the provisional allocation, the 5% decrease in the acquisition of Current and Goods and Services, except in the Education sector, and the 12.5% reduction in the acquisition of Capital Goods.”
He also stressed that “a reduction of 36% in the access to loans” is estimated for 2011, adding that the “decrease of the budget revenue by 1.4% is the solely result of the reduction of loans as a funding source.
Moreover, the Vice-President of the Government also announced an increase of 20.6 million Euros next year in the funding for the Regional Health Service, which will result in transfers to heath units and public health programmes (over 15.6 million Euros), and to investments in new equipments and infrastructures (over 5 million Euros).
Sérgio Ávila also noted that when compared to 2010, the Budget 2011 embodies the “stabilisation of the value of the actual revenue of the Region” as the 3.5% growth of the regional revenue and the 6.8% increase of revenue from Community funds balances and cancels the effect of the reduction of transfers from the State Budget.
With regard to the Annual Regional Plan, the Vice-President of the Government emphasised the priority status awarded to the “support measures to Azorean companies and families” with the reinforcement of “financial allocations that are more effective in the economic sustainability, the competitiveness of Azorean economy the creation of more jobs” as well as in the “provisions to assure a greater social protection and solidarity.”
In this context, added Sérgio Ávila, the financial resources for the accomplishment of the goal “Promote the Sustained Growth of the Economy” will increase 13 million Euros, now representing 36,7% percent of the total investment, which corresponds to 294.2 million Euros whereas the resources  available for the programme “Reinforcing Social Solidarity and Cohesion” will increase 10% next year with an allocation of 78.8 million Euros, which he considered to be a “demonstration of the compliance with the priorities set” for 2011.
The Vice-President also announced that the Azorean Government has decided to award 188.7 million Euros to the investments that aim to reinforce the skills and qualifications of the Azorean population, of which 90.4 million Euros are addressed at the promotion of employment and vocational training policies. 
In terms of sectoral programmes, there will be a substantial increase in 2011 in the programmes “Development of Infrastructures and Health Systems” (44%), “Tourism Development” (32%) and “Development of Social Solidarity Systems” (27%); the funds awarded to the programmes “Boosting Competitiveness,” for the agricultural and forest sectors, and “Consolidation and Modernisation of Maritime Transport” will increase 7.8 and 3.1 million Euros, respectively.