Second edition of Participatory Budget of the Azores begins today with more areas and increased funding
The Vice-President of the Government announced in Angra do Heroísmo the beginning of the Participatory Budget of the Azores - OP Açores 2019. This year's edition will cover more areas for the presentation of investment ideas by citizens, increase the funding for the implementation of the most voted projects and the possibility of presenting regional proposals.
"In 2019, the OP Açores has an overall allocation of one million Euros, corresponding to an increase over 66% compared to the first edition," stressed Sérgio Ávila, who pointed out the success of this measure as it "exceeded all expectations."
Another novelty revealed by the government official concerns the extension of the areas of governance open to citizen participation. This year, the OP Açores includes five areas: Environment, Culture, Social Inclusion, Youth and Tourism.
"Another innovation of OP Açores 2019 is the possibility given to Azorean, national and foreign citizens to present and vote on regional proposals, besides voting on ideas for each island," said Sérgio Ávila.
In this regard, the initiative now includes "public investments to be carried out on, at least, two islands in an equitable manner and up to a maximum amount of 200 thousand Euros." Hence, Azorean citizens will be entitled to two votes in 2019: one vote for the island scope projects and a vote for regional scope projects."
"This year, we want even more Azoreans to know and take part in the Participatory Budget of the Region," stated Sérgio Ávila at the presentation of the second edition of OP Açores.
For that purpose, the Vice-President added that the OP Açores 2018 went to all islands and visited, at least, two councils on each island. This year, it will visit the 19 municipalities of the Region during the meeting phase of participatory processes.
"We are going to promote two participatory meetings every day: a daily meeting for young people aged between 14 and 18 and another meeting after working hours for Azoreans aged over 18." Overall, "there will be 38 participatory meetings [by April 30], 11 more than in the first edition," stated the government official.
For Sérgio Ávila, "the more citizenship corresponds to better Democracy and stronger Autonomy." On the occasion, he expressed the belief that, "once again, the Azoreans will join this initiative."
"In addition to enriching democracy, it also contributes to the progressive reduction of citizens' alienation from the collective life of their communities, which strengthen us as a Region and as a People," said the Vice-President.
The schedule of participatory meetings, where draft proposals may be presented and debated, is available from today on the OP Açores website at https://op.azores.gov.pt/ and on social networks.
The first two meetings will take place Monday, February 25, on Corvo Island.
Last year, nearly 1,500 citizens from the age of 14 participated in the pre-proposal presentation phase. It resulted in 324 public investment ideas and 154 proposals put to vote that. The voting of almost 5,000 citizens elected 29 ideas, which are now in different stages of implementation according to the type of project.