Fernando de Almeida Santos, President of the Engenheiros, welcomes a decisive step towards solving a problem “delayed by decades” and which has and will have negative consequences for the Portuguese economy, due to the impact that the lack of a suitable airport has on tourism.
“The CTI should be congratulated for fulfilling its first obligation on time and within the deadlines, but it must be said that this was the easiest phase. Now the technical studies are starting and the process is getting more complex and it is important that the pace is not will be delayed so that the final solution can be presented by October, listening to the specialists and taking into account the required parameters, and that the government takes the political decision by the end of the year at the latest.”
Regarding the addition of four more solutions to the five that were already to be analyzed, as indicated in the Council of Ministers, Fernando de Almeida Santos has only one word: “Surprising.” But it offers no possible reasons to add the Portela+ Alcochete, Pegões, Portela+Pegões and Rio Frio+Poceirão options to the bouquet that continues to the second study phase. “It is important that we move forward this time, because we are many years late, with the aggravating factor that the current private operator of the airport is pushing with its belly what is absolutely necessary for works in Portela.”
On the need for a project in different tempos – short-term, transitional and long-term – President Fernando de Almeida Santos admits that it could be a plan to respond to the urgency of the situation. “But if that happens, it will be “funny” to see that Pedro Nuno Santos’ message was not meaningless… And if it does, it will be inevitable to see that another 18 months and 3 million euros are lost in studies – and a politician is resurrected.”
Whatever the model, the Order of Engineers defends the pursuit of a “solution that is structural, phased or not”. Whether it’s better to start with Portela and the first phase of Alcochete or Montijo and use Portela for a few years while Alcochete, it doesn’t matter. But we have spent too long shuffling and dealing cards to get to the same suit. It’s about solving the case. And the moment a decision is made, regardless of the solution, Portuguese engineering will be able to respond,” he says, arguing that only an internally designed solution can protect the country’s economy, value and competitiveness.
“What has been done in Portugal – and what is not happening in countries like Spain, France or Italy – is to open the doors wide to foreign companies, who do not pay taxes here, leave no added value or anything and do not contribute to the country. develop and bring wealth. We do not have to be employees of others, we have leadership qualities – and if there is a shortage of manpower, we import these resources while maintaining the project and technical work with a Portuguese signature “, defends the president .
Source: DN
