The deadline for the presentation of ideas for the Participatory Budget (OP) of the Azores 2019 ends in the end of April.
 
This year, the OP Açores 2019 has a budget of one million Euros for the implementation of projects stemming from the ideas proposed and subsequently chosen by citizens, through voting.
 
Citizens may present public investment ideas to be implemented on each of the nine islands of the archipelago or region-wide projects. In the latter case, they have to be implemented on, at least, two islands equitably.
 
Proposals can be made by national or foreign citizens residing in the Azores from the age of 14.
 
In this context, 34 of the 38 participatory meetings have already been held, two in each of the 19 municipalities of the Azores. They were attended by more than 1,500 citizens, who have presented 353 ideas.
 
At these meetings, citizens also have the opportunity of learning more about how the OP works.
 
After being held on eight Azorean islands, covering a total of 17 municipalities, the island of Terceira will host the last four participatory meetings, two of which will take place in Praia da Vitória on April 23 and the other two in Angra do Heroísmo on April 29 and 30.
 
From February 22, citizens may also submit their ideas online at the address https://op.azores.gov.pt; 44 have already been submitted by 60 citizens.
 
A month and a half after the start of the Açores OP 2019, a total of 397 ideas have already been presented: 311 correspond "island" scope projects and 86 to "regional" scope projects. This means that, one month before the end of the presentation phase, the number of draft proposals submitted has already exceeded the OP Açores 2018 by more than 70 ideas; a total of 324 ideas were presented in last year's edition.
 
As for the themes concerned, participants have presented so far 207 ideas for youth, 66 for tourism, 45 for culture, 43 for social inclusion and 36 for the environment.
 
The Regional Government calls for the participation of citizens in OP as a way of contributing to the development of the Region.
 
Those who are interested may obtain further information at the address www.op.azores.gov.pt, on social networks or by telephone 800 500 501, the Regional Government's toll-free citizen support line.