1 – During the week, the Government of the Republic submitted the Budget for 2026 to the Assembly of the Republic. Once the local elections have been completed and the winners sworn in, they will be discussed in the Assembly of the Republic. This important document is expected to be properly analyzed by the deputies of the various parties, who will then approve or reject it. The document will determine the form and content that will allow, or not, the growth of the economy, as well as the impact that the measures it contains will have on the lives of businesses and individuals.

2 – Meanwhile, in the midst of this debate, a meeting of the Council of Ministers is scheduled for October 30, which will be attended and participated in by the Presidents of the two Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira. The purpose of this meeting is to strengthen cooperation between the governments, addressing issues of strategic interest, including transport, territorial cohesion, and structural investments.

3 – Ultimately, it is a matter of fulfilling the promises already made by the President of the Government of the Republic during his visits to the Autonomous Regions. Certainly, the agenda of the Government of the Azores will include the start of the construction process for the São Miguel chain, which has been eagerly awaited since 2016. This was considered a commitment by the President of the PS, but it has been “fading away,” leaving behind only the bagasse that was transported to the cauldron. Then there are certainly matters concerning the University, the renovation of the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, which is about to begin the restoration that was promised on May 4, not to mention the project that is underway to restore Porto das Lajes das Flores.

4 – One of the issues that cannot be overlooked is the revision of the existing agreement between Portugal and the United States of America, which covers facilities on several islands in the Azores, with emphasis on the use of Terceira and São Miguel. Regarding Terceira, it is regrettable that the US’s use of the port of Praia is being overlooked. It is essential to demand action on the areas affected by the fuel that remains there, which continues to impact the health of Praia’s inhabitants.

5 – The Autonomous Regions cannot be treated as adjacent, because they are what give Portugal and the European Union their dimension, while Portugal uses its importance when it suits it.

6 – We will await the outcome of the meeting between the governments on October 30 and, as already proposed by the candidate for the Presidency of the Republic, Marques Mendes, that the Regional Governments should meet every three months with the President of the Republic to take care of the Autonomies. It is time for the Republic to recognize the importance of the islands and treat them as partners rather than as adjacent territories. It is time for cooperation, but it cannot be viewed as a “handout.”

7 – There are already many opinions on the market regarding the national budget allocated to the Azores. It is also hoped that the deputies elected by the Azores will have the capacity and political strength to convince their parliamentary groups to recognize the value of the Azores and be part of that recognition when the time comes to make a decision.

Américo Natalino Viveiros is the director of Correio dos Açores.

NOVIDADES will feature occasional opinion pieces from various leading thinkers and writers in the Azores, providing the diaspora and those interested in the current state of the Azores with insight into the diverse opinions on some of the archipelago’s key issues.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL).