Carlos César said on Tuesday that the relation between the Regional Government and the Azorean media (O.C.S.) is “a normal relation based on the fact that each entity carries out its duties.”

Adding that the Government has created the necessary conditions in order to associate freedom with the duty to inform and encourage the debate and pluralism, the President of the Government of the Azores said that the media bodies are free to integrate this framework in the manner they consider the most appropriate.

“In the Azores, we do not have media bodies that are government property and, therefore, we do not administer any. We simply respect their opinions. With regard to the Government, the media has the mission of clarifying our opinion on several matters.”

Hence, Carlos César reiterated that the Press Support Office (GaCS) is just a governmental office that disseminates public interest information, which the Government has the duty to inform, whether on the activities carried out by the Government, whether on the position of the Government regarding several matters.

“Total transparency is the main criterion and the use of information that is provided by the GaCS office by the media is entirely dependent on its intentions,” underlined the President of the Government, who considered the insinuations on another type of relation between the Government and the media as insulting for the O.C.S. as well as for the Azorean journalists.

Carlos César spoke at the end of an audience that he granted to António Lourenço de Melo, chairman of Açormédia, and Paulo Simões, director of the “Açoriano Oriental” newspaper, who invited the president to the Gala that will celebrate the 175th anniversary of the oldest Portuguese newspaper on April 18.

The President of the Government also conveyed his admiration for the consistent and continuous adaptation to the new times, which have ensured a remarkable longevity in a place such as the Azores. Moreover, he paid tribute to those who have created the newspaper as well as to those who have made it a national reference media in the Azores.