Former Minister of Infrastructure Pedro Marques is heard this Wednesday for the second day in a row in the TAP Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry to give MPs an explanation about the airline.
Pedro Marquez served as Minister of Infrastructure from 2015 to 2019.
in a minute
Updated May 31, 2023 | 20:21
Pedro Marquez: “I was not subjected to political pressure from the Prime Minister”
The Chega leader wonders if António Costa put pressure on the former minister to appoint Diogo Lacerda Machado to TAP.
“I was not subjected to political pressure from the Prime Minister,” Pedro Marquez assures.
“I firmly believe that the Commission of Inquiry is missing the truth,” accuses Paulo Ríos de Oliveira.
PSD MP Paulo Rios de Oliveira takes the floor and begins his speech by accusing the former minister of lying in the parliamentary committee of inquiry.
“I am deeply convinced that the commission of inquiry lacks the truth,” the deputy says.
Paulo Ríos de Oliveira asks the table to read a paragraph from the CPI president’s letter of consolation about the purchase of TAP shares and circulate it to other deputies.
There is a certain stir due to the situation in the room, and Paulo Ríos de Oliveira ends up deciding to read it himself.
“The shareholder takes responsibility the moment he buys the shares,” Pedro Marquez replies, admitting that he is aware of the part he has read.
Diogo Lacerda Machado was again the subject of an investigation. Paulo Ríos de Oliveira wonders what his function was and what role it played in the process of “undoing” TAP’s privatization.
“He was a man with deep knowledge of aeronautics,” the former minister defends, referring to the fact that the name Lacerda Machado was suggested by the prime minister.
“Have you ever realized that you can’t do that?” the deputy asks about the fact that Lacerda Machado was present at the meetings. “It’s easy and amateurish,” he says.
“There was no lightness at all,” says Pedro Marquez.
“I have never seen letters sent to banks,” says Pedro Marquez of the letter of consolation.
PS MP Pedro Coimbra makes his speech on the consolation letter.
“Letter of consolation has been discussed a lot. You are well aware of this letter and its content,” asks Pedro Coimbra.
“I know the content of the draft of the consolation letter. I have never seen letters sent to banks,” Pedro Marquez replies.
PS brings the question to the table to say that he will submit a request for a copy of the reports of members of the government in a letter of consolation.
“If there had not been a letter of recommendation, the privatization operation would have taken place,” asks the deputy of the PS.
Pedro Marquez does not answer directly.
The PS MP focused on the TAP privatization process and asked how the former minister faced the company’s privatization process, given that the government in question was not going to continue and that a new government majority would be formed. .
“I looked at it with concern,” Pedro Marquez replies, referring to the numerous legal facts that constitute “legal uncertainty.”
The former Minister of Infrastructure reveals that he led the TAP privatization process in a portfolio transfer in November 2015.
“We studied, we collected information” until the signing of a memorandum of understanding in February 2016, explains Pedro Marquez.
Pedro Marquez says David Neeleman’s stake “has been valued by the European authorities.”
Bloc de Esquerda MP Pedro Filipe Soares asks Pedro Marquez how David Nileman can acquire a stake.
“Did you know that the forms for the final purchase were rejected in the form in which they were submitted,” asks Pedro Filipe Soares.
“I didn’t have it. The information that we were guided by is the documents that gave the conclusion process, ”the former minister assures.
“The operation as a whole was evaluated by the European authorities,” he says.
Pedro Marquez says Airbus deal was legal
PCP MP Bruno Diaz asks the former minister if he was briefed by the media [através da revista Visão] that David Neeleman used the advance from TAP to buy the company.
Bruno Diaz refers to the fact that Airbus gave David Neeleman an advance of 226 million euros to capitalize TAP.
“I didn’t see any illegality there. I was told about the legitimate operation, the company and the responsibility for participating,” admits Pedro Marquez.
“I have known about the Airbus deal since January 2016,” MP Bruno Diaz says.
Pedro Marquez confirms that “the information I had at the time” was that it was a legitimate business.
Bernardo Blanco accuses former infrastructure minister of lying on CPI
Liberal Initiative MP Bernardo Blanco begins his speech by saying that Pedro Marquez is lying in the TAP commission of inquiry. Pedro Marquez said the airline’s privatization process took 48 hours.
“To say that the privatization process took 48 hours is not true,” says Bernardo Blanco.
Regarding the letters of consolation in the 2017 operation, Bernardo Blanco states in the document that the letters have been strengthened.
“What you criticize has been reinforced,” says Bernardo Blanco.
“Ultimately, the state bears responsibility. The responsibility of each has reached its weight in capital. It is limited to the debts that existed at that time. yes,” he replies. Pedro Marquez.
A deputy from the Liberal Initiative asks the former minister about financial obligations to banks.
“All financial obligations with letters of consolation were on the side of the state,” Pedro Marquez backs up, saying the state should have bought the airline as it was in case private airlines missed a payment.
The letter of recommendation placed the state “under an obligation to buy out TAP in the event of the failure of private banks.”
Chega leader Andre Ventura talks about a letter of consolation that “obliges the state.”
Turned a right into a duty [o Estado] Foreclosure Click if the private sector has let down the banks. All they had to do was skip the payment,” guarantees Pedro Marquez.
“It was the taxpayers who ended up dropping in weight,” asks Andre Ventura.
“That’s right, that’s exactly the legal assessment we gave,” says the former Minister of Infrastructure.
“Is it true or not that TAP was already on the Brazilian market,” the Chega leader asks.
“I have been in Brazil for many years. At that time, TAP was the largest European carrier between Europe and Brazil,” guarantees Pedro Marquez.
“Did you have access to legal opinions supporting this letter of consolation?” asks Andre Ventura.
“I did not know about it. I admit that it exists, I just don’t know about it,” Pedro Marquez replies.
“I do not believe that there was no legal opinion of the state that supported this document,” says the Chegi leader.
Andre Ventura claims that he has lost and is still losing a lot of money with the airline.
Pedro Marques emphasizes that the privatization of TAP resulted in all the profits for the private sector and the risk for the state.
Pedro Marquez highlights, as he said on Tuesday, the main problem with the way TAP’s privatization was handled in 2015.
“The main problem with how the privatization was carried out on November 12, 2015, in practice, how it was completed, meant that all the potential profits went to the private sector, and all the risks remained with the state,” says the former infrastructure minister. .
Tap parliamentary commission of inquiry begins
Author: morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
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