Miguel Albuquerque admits that when the construction of the new Madeira Central and University Hospital is inaugurated – the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027 – he himself may no longer be president of the Regional Government, although the expected date still corresponds to the current legislature.
When asked if he was confident that he would still be the Prime Minister at that time, “I can’t tell you”, was his immediate response. He added, however, with an evasive “I hope so”. He justified his hesitation by ensuring that what matters most now is not being the Prime Minister when the inauguration takes place but ensuring that the work, as planned, will not stop.
“What matters is that this work does not stop.” And for this to happen, he maintains that the Regional Budget proposal for 2025 is crucial for it to be approved.
He acknowledges that this “will depend on the criteria of parliamentarians”, but warns that it is “important” to be aware that the Budget is approved.
Regarding the construction of the new hospital, he states that he is “finishing the 2nd phase of the work” and that “114 million euros have already been invested”, to stress that “by the end of this year it is very important for the government and for the Region to open the 3rd phase of the competition, which is another 200 million”, and thus ensure that there will be no interruptions in what he describes as “fundamental work”.