Pedro Nuno Santos reiterated today to the Economy, Public Works, Planning and Housing Commission that TAP will not survive without being integrated into an international aviation group. The former Minister of Infrastructure and Housing defended that the flagship company operates in an “aggressive” market and cannot be isolated.
For this reason, he said he had always defended the “opening up of capital” to companies “in the sector”, but declined to comment “on the time, manner and when of privatization” as he already oversees the portfolio of the Ministry of Infrastructures.
“I am not going to comment on the privatization process that has not started yet and that I am not aware of the government’s intentions,” he stressed.
The former leader reminded deputies that “privatization intentions were never hidden,” but denies that a model has been established.
“There was no predefined model. TAP was preparing for it [abertura do capital] and there was this intention on the part of the government. But the privatization model has never been defined and I think it still isn’t. There are two ongoing evaluations and then the formal process begins. There was no decision on whether it was [uma venda] majority, minority, whether it was a merger or not,” he stressed.
The government published in the Diário da República the resolution of the Council of Ministers, approved on April 27, authorizing Parpública to conduct at least two independent assessments necessary for the privatization of TAP.
Pedro Nuno Santos will be heard again next week, on June 15, at the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry TAP (CPI), where he will have to answer questions about the compensation of 500 thousand euros to Alexandra Reis, which led him to resign from António Costa. For the time being, the former governor will maintain his suspended deputy mandate.
Source: DN
