The Government of the Azores "is determined and committed to creating the necessary conditions for regional companies successfully overcome the economic crisis and difficulties in accessing bank funding, the Regional Secretary for the Economy said, assuring that the examples of success "do not dazzle us: we are aware of the difficulties that companies are facing. We are equally determined to overcome the challenges in employment which is one of the areas that is being affected by the financial adjust process and financing difficulties faced by companies."

Vasco Cordeiro spoke today to the media at the end of a visit to the companies Lurdes Narciso Comércio, Importação e Exportações Lda. and Cybermap, Internet e Sistemas de Informação, which have been recently ranked among the 100 best companies to work by a national speciality magazine.

The Regional Secretary for the Economy said the distinction awarded to these two companies, "which have achieve recognition, should be primarily a source of pride for them, but also for the Government."

In fact, he said, "these companies presented projects that were subsequently approved under SIDER and thus benefited from the mechanisms available for companies improve their operation, competitiveness and assert themselves in their business areas."

The fact that the "companies distinguished operate in completely different areas - one in the area of natural resources, fishing and marketing; the other in the area of high-end technologies - evidences the path followed by the Region in the profitability and marketing of natural resources or in the investment in new business areas," stressed the Regional Secretary for the Economy.