Albuquerque included 19 opposition proposals in the new Government Program, Chega continues to say that the problem is Albuquerque
The new Madeira Government Program proposal, which will be discussed and voted on on Thursday, without guarantees of approval, includes 19 measures from the four parties with which the regional executive negotiated, Chega, CDS-PP, IL and PAN. Upon delivery, the president of the regional government appealed to “responsibility†on the part of the opposition.
“I cannot at this moment definitively state the voting direction of each of these parties. This is up to each party“, Albuquerque told journalists, declaring himself, nevertheless, confident “in the responsibility of these parties in relation to the Government Program”.
The Madeiran Government withdrew the initial voting program in mid-May because it had been announced and began conversations with opposition parties. The PS and Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP) did not want to participate, considering that it was a “staged†.
After two weeks of conversations, the new version of the program has been delivered. “Obviously, following these negotiations that were finalized yesterday [segunda-feira, com o Chega]at this moment we are able to present the Government Program”, said the head of the Madeiran executive, after delivering a new proposal to the president of the regional parliament, the Christian Democrat José Manuel Rodrigues.
The talks, “fruitful and in good faith”, included the participation of IL, PAN, CDS-PP and Chega, and led, according to the government official, to the inclusion of 19 proposals in the document.
On the part of Chega – the party that throughout the negotiation process insisted on the removal of the president of the executive of Madeira, the social democrat Miguel Albuquerque – includes the creation of an Office of Transparency, Prevention and Combating Corruption §tion, an independent structure of the island Government with powers to establish measures and actions that are “effectively dissuasive of the practice of corruption crimes”.
Also on the recommendation of Chega, the Regional Government now expresses “total availability and collaboration” for additional audits to those carried out by the Audit Court of the Autonomous Region of Madeira by a ” accredited and independent entity”. The objective is to “evaluate the economic and financial situation of the region and verify the application of funds transferred by the State and the European Union”.
Miguel Albuquerque’s executive will also promote a transparency portal, which allows publicity and public monitoring of the process of implementing European funds in Madeira.
Ventura does not “close scenarios”
Despite the inclusion of these proposals, Chega’s vote (abstention may be sufficient) is not guaranteed. From Lisbon, André Ventura continues to insist on leaving Albuquerque. The president of Chega said this Tuesday that the party continues to place Miguel Albuquerque’s departure as a condition to make the Madeira Regional Government Program viable, but admitted that there are conversations and refused to “close scenarios”.
“I spoke a few minutes ago with Miguel Castro, our position remains unchanged, the PSD knows this, the Regional Government knows this. Now, this means that there may be some evolution of events in the next few hours and days, perhaps, but without giving in to these fundamental principles”, he stated. Asked several times whether Chega admits to making the Madeira Regional Government’s program viable, André Ventura considered it difficult to make it possible with Miguel Albuquerque, but refused to “close scenarios at this moment”, indicating that it is necessary to wait for see what happens.
Gregory Cunha
“It depends on what the PSD does. If the PSD accepts, firstly, to replace Miguel Albuquerque, secondly, to build a government based on the fight against corruption, to audit all the accounts of the past, namely where public money was spent and making these results public, if there are steps in that direction, there may be steps in our direction”, he indicated.
Health reinforcement and supplier of animals
The new Madeiran Government Program includes “many of the proposals contained in the various electoral programs” of the parties with which it negotiated, since “they are common and transversal to almost all political forces with parliamentary seats”, with emphasis on the tax reduction with the application of the 30% differential defended by several parties, indicates the executive.
The Regional Government highlights, among other common measures, the reinforcement of investment in health, new beds for homes and long-term care and the increase in social support, namely the regional supplement for the elderly.
Reinforcing support for agricultural producers and fishermen, enhancing careers and reducing bureaucracy in Public Administration, as well as promoting more affordable housing and improving of air and maritime mobility are among the measures taken by the parties that negotiated the new Regional Government Program proposal, namely Chega, CDS-PP, IL and PAN.
The review of the Regional Finance Law, the deepening of Political Autonomy and the Reform of the Political System are other examples of common measures.
According to the Madeiran executive, the new Government Program incorporates two fundamental components, one being “the goals and objectives democratically approved by citizens, contained in the commitments of the Government party” and the other which “welcomes vain proposals and ideas of other political forces with parliamentary seats”.
In terms of transport and maritime mobility, the proposal calls for the State to fully comply with the review of the social subsidy for maritime mobility in a more simplified way between Madeira and the mainland, in addition to opening a concession competition o and the opening of a ferry line with a mixed passenger and cargo service between these two territories.
The proposal also highlights the importance of “providing an alternative for passengers and cargo during the annual interruption of the Madeira-Porto Santo maritime line”, a measure always defended by the Madeiran opposition.
In terms of investments, the construction of the local health unit in Porto Santo and the continued execution of the construction project for the new Madeira Central and University Hospital are highlighted, as well as the rehabilitation and modernization of the school network and sports equipment, and that of a multi-purpose pavilion in the parish of Caniço.
In addition to this suggestion, the PAN also finds in the proposal the “revision of the status of the animal’s provider”.
The Regional Government also indicates that, among other measures, it will continue the policy of promotion and development of the Madeira International Business Center, aiming at the approval and implementation of a new, more attractive model for international companies in the area of services and information technologies, which provides for new areas of investment.
On the 19th, the head of the Madeiran executive announced the withdrawal of the Government Program from the discussion that had been taking place in the Madeiran parliament for two days and with a vote scheduled for the following day in the form of a motion to confidence.
The document would be rejected, since PS, JPP and Chega, who have a total of 24 deputies out of the 47 in the hemicycle (corresponding to an absolute majority), announced their vote against.
In this scenario, the Regional Government invited parties with parliamentary seats to meetings to reach consensus on a Government Program. PS and JPP rejected it. After the negotiations (without the presence of Miguel Albuquerque at the meetings), the sole deputy from IL informed that he would abstain and the PAN candidate showed herself available to make the proposal viable.
Chega sent the announcement of the voting direction to the vote in the archipelago’s parliament.
