The president of the Regional Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, reacted to the new model of the social mobility subsidy approved in the Assembly of the Republic, warning of risks associated with the diploma and criticising the position taken by the opposition throughout the process.
The minister began by stressing that, despite the approval of the law, the process is not closed and will have to be fine-tuned in its application. “The law was approved, but now it is necessary to improve its functionality and reduce bureaucracy,” he said, pointing to the need for articulation with the Government of the Republic, with a view to allowing Madeirans to pay only the final value of the tickets until the summer.
Miguel Albuquerque also framed the legislative process, recalling that the proposal defended by the Region was eventually rejected in the national Parliament, despite having been approved in the Legislative Assembly of Madeira with votes from the PSD and Chega. This proposal provided, among other aspects, for the elimination of the requirement for certificates of non-debt to Social Security and Finance, as well as the maintenance of a ceiling for the eligible cost of travel.
On these matters, he reiterated his position, considering that the requirement for certificates “undermines citizenship rights” and arguing that the issue of the ceiling should be treated with prudence. “What is at stake is whether or not there should be a ceiling, and this can have very negative implications,” he said.
The president of the Regional Government explained that about 48 percent of Madeira’s air market depends on private companies, whose operation is based on the predictability and occupancy of flights. “These companies are not state-owned; they cannot have empty planes, and they have to guarantee results,” he said, warning of the risk of inappropriate decisions affecting supply.
Miguel Albuquerque was also critical of the Socialist Party, accusing it of incoherence over the last few years. “For eight years they didn’t move a muscle, and now they make all this fuss,” he said, recalling that the current model was previously negotiated without contestation by the socialists.
The minister appealed to common sense during this process, arguing that decisions should be made with a sense of responsibility. “We would all like to have no limits and pay less, but governing is deciding responsibly,” he concluded.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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