The program to combat unemployment “Impulso Jovem” will cover the Algarve region, announced this morning the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Miguel Relvas, during a hearing at a Parliamentary Committee in the Assembly of the Republic.
Relvas said that, given the «exceptional situation» of the Algarve, which is the region with the highest unemployment rate in the country, and although it is not a convergence region and therefore cannot be covered by QREN funds, «the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training is currently carrying out a survey and defining, in budgetary terms, the use of national funds so that the program can be developed in the Algarve».
«The calculations have not even been done yet», but «in the next few days I hope to have concrete figures» of the amounts to be allocated to the Algarve, said minister Miguel Relvas.
The «Impulso Jovem» Program announced last week by the Council of Ministers, as it was financed by community funds, initially left out the regions of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo and Algarve, which are considered “rich” regions, in “ phasing-out”
The fund of more than 344 million euros (using community funds) was announced by the Government as targeting a universe of 90 thousand young people, and gave priority to the so-called convergence regions (North, Center and Alentejo).
The fact that initially part of the measures provided for in the programme, such as the »Passaporte Jovem», leaving the Algarve region aside, has led to a veritable verbal war between PS e JS regional, on the one hand, and PSD e JSD Algarve, on the other.
Comments