The Vice-President of the Government announced today at the Legislative Assembly in Horta that the Regional Government is finalising the preparation of the Agenda for the Social and Economic Recovery of the Azores in terms of strategic planning, with the involvement and active participation of all citizens in the process of choosing public policies. 

Sérgio Ávila stressed that this agenda, drawn up following the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, intends to be the guiding document for the social and economic relaunch of the Azores in the next two years, as part of the European strategy that will define the application of Community financing for the accomplishment of that goal. 

In fact, the Agenda for the Social and Economic Recovery of the Azores includes intervention support measures to mitigate impacts in different areas of action for the resumption of social and economic activities, such as support for employment, families, social sector and companies, with special emphasis on the Tourism sector. 

"This document, which also provides for measures that contribute to a greater and better response capacity of the Regional Health Service, will be under public consultation during the month of July in order to directly collect the contribution of all Azoreans," said the government official. 

If, on the one hand, the review of the 2020 Regional Budget and Investment Plan intends to respond to the new challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the short term and with the financial resources available this year; on the other hand, the Agenda for the Economic and Social Recovery of the Azores aims to respond to the new challenges arising in the next two years, making full use of EU support made available to overcome this challenge across Europe. 

"The Regional Government believes that these documents are what the Azores need for the moment we are going through. We are confident that, as in the past, we will overcome, together with all the Azoreans, another major challenge with the ambition and responsibility we have always had," said the Vice-President of the Government.