Lisbon, Nov. 27, 2024 (Lusa) - The amount of debt that can be contracted by Portugal's autonomous regions for arrears and debt consolidation has been increased to €150 million, according to a proposed amendment to the state budget for 2025 that has now been approved in parliament.
"The autonomous regions may contract debt for debt consolidation and regularisation of arrears, up to a limit of 150 million euros for each autonomous region, subject to authorisation by the member of the Government responsible for Finance," reads the proposal tabled by the two parties in the governing coaition, the centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) and conservative People's Party (CDS-PP).
The aim of the measure, which doubles the limit in the state budget for 2025, is to reduce non-financial debt to suppliers.
During Tuesday's second day of voting in committee on the budget, several other proposed amendments were approved for the autonomous regions, including one, also from the coalition parties, that stipulates that during 2025 the government will make an extraordinary transfer of €75 million to the Azores and €50 million to Madeira with the aim of reducing debt.
Also on the initiative of the PSD and CDS-PP, approval was given on Tuesday to the possibility of the autonomous regions borrowing through debt issues structured by Portugal's Treasury and Public Debt Management Agency - IGCP.
In addition to these, three Communist Party (PCP) proposals were also approved, also aimed at Madeira and the Azores, namely one that stipulates that, by the end of 2025, the government should present a programme for rehabilitating the building where the Madeira Education Centre used to be.
The PCP also put forward a proposal that, by 2025, improvements be made to the Horta support chain, as well as another that calls for the reinforcement of search and rescue crews in the Azores, so that "there are permanent crews of the air resources deployed or stationed at the Lajes base, available to guarantee the safety and assistance of the population in urgent situations.".
Also aimed at the autonomous regions, two PS proposals for amendments to the 2025 state budget were given the green light, one of which calls on the government to take steps to create a regular ferry service for passengers and cargo between Madeira and mainland Portugal, with the related subsidy to be determined.
The PS also saw the approval of a proposal it made relating to the rescue operations of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANAPEC) that determines that the Portuguese state is fully responsible for the financial costs arising from the operationalisation and use of air resources in the autonomous regions.
LT/ARO // ARO.
Lusa
