The President of the Government of the Azores reiterated today the need for "immediate measures" to reduce the impact that is already being felt in the economy of Terceira Island, following the departure of the families who were accompanying the U.S. military stationed at Lajes Air Base.

"For this reason, we insist and we consider that is fundamental to move forward with a Plan for the Economic Revitalisation in order to revert the situation," stressed Vasco Cordeiro. The President of the Government spoke to journalists after the Prime Minister's visit to the Azores, which included a meeting with the Commission representing Portuguese workers at that base.

With the monitoring of this matter, the Regional Government expects that the Revitalisation Plan can be regarded from a different perspective by the National Government, Vasco Cordeiro added, stressing that the response regarding the need to move forward with this Plan was negative.

However, the President of the Government also reiterated that the adoption of these urgent measures should not dispel the attention to a problem that "remains open to the USA and deserves the full attention and consideration of the Portuguese State."

"This is not a military issue; it is a matter of diplomatic relations between two countries. We will see if this hundred-year-old relation deserves, or not, the consideration and respect on the part of the USA in order to avoid reducing the military forces stationed at that base, without taking into consideration the impact of this situation on Terceira's families and companies," warned Vasco Cordeiro.

Making an assessment of the visit made by Pedro Passos Coelho to the Azores, the President of the Government stressed that the matters pertaining to the revision of Public Service Obligations for Air Transport were closed. However, the Prime Minister only "took the commitment to continue working" on series of other relevant topics, such as the Public Radio and Television Service, the University of the Azores, milk quotas and the State's powers in the Region.

"If the Government of the Azores made a series of claims in advance, it would like to have them answered, especially with regard to matters that are clearly related to national solidarity," said Vasco Cordeiro.