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For the purpose of transparency, the answer given by the President of the Republic, on 3 December, to a question placed by a journalist concerning the Azores is fully transcribed:

"Journalist – A question on a topic that is causing much argument in Portugal, is connected to the exceptional regime that the Azores Government created for the regional public servants.

President of the Republic – I do not have full information on the matter you have just asked me about. As such, I answer on the basis of some lack of information.

When sacrifices are asked from people, there is a rule of basic equity that must be respected. And which is a fundamental principle of taxation: people who have the same income should pay the same taxes. And when income is taken away from people, people’s income is being taxed.

Discriminating will always mean, in some way, the infringement of the principle of equity.

And what does our Constitution state? People must be dealt with in accordance with their global income. It does not ever state that they should be dealt with in accordance with their profession or the place where they reside. Nothing of the sort. It just states that all must be dealt with on equal terms, in accordance with their global income.

I hope that this is a determining factor in the imposition of sacrifices to the Portuguese.

Journalist – Could it even be unconstitutional?

President of the Republic – I do not wish to make any statement about this."