PCP proposes a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the privatization of ANA Aeroportos in 2013.

This Monday, the PKP proposed the creation of a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the privatization of ANA Aeroportos in 2013 during the PSD/CDS government, considering that it was “one of the most destructive transactions for the state in history.”

At a press conference in the Assembly of the Republic, PCP MP António Filipe said that in 2013, ANA was announced to be worth 3.08 billion euros, but it was sold to the French group Vinci for 1.128 million euros. euros, “just over a third of what was advertised.”

António Filipe also stressed that the sale was concluded after “a 50-year concession agreement was signed for the entire national airport network with ANA, then a public company, for 1,200 million euros.”

“The sale of ANA Aeroportos to the multinational company Vinci turned out to be one of the most destructive transactions for the state in history, this is proven in the recent report of the Court of Auditors, which is devastating in relation to this privatization,” it is highlighted.

Apart from the fact that the sale price was “much lower than the published estimate”, António Filipe said that the Court of Audit report published in January also criticized the distribution of dividends planned for the concession.

“It is expected that Vinci will make a profit of 20 billion euros during the concession, and that the division of revenues between Vinci and the Portuguese state will be 79% for Vinci and 21% for the Portuguese state, which is completely unusual even in situations of this nature,” said He.

The PCP MP also said there was “absolute laxity” between the various players in the business, noting that after the privatization decision was made, “the state appointed a new administration, ANA Aeroportos, which had no previous experience in the matter.” and Vinci announces that this administration will move to private management.”

“When we talk about revolving doors, here we are faced with something more serious. This is not a revolving door, this is a red carpet on which the administration appointed by the state of the company openly hands over the acquisition to the company that came to it,” he emphasized.

Another of the “extremely worrying elements” of this business, António Filipe continued, is the fact that the state “inexplicably offered Vinci dividends for 2012, which represented state dividends worth €81 million.”

“Consequently, here is an absolutely disastrous deal for the state, which includes a situation of unacceptable promiscuity between officials of public offices and the interests of private companies (…) in addition to the irregularities condemned by the Court of Accounts in its report. This is due to doubts about the credibility submitted documentation,” he emphasized.

The PCP MP said that “it is necessary to listen to decision makers”, recalling that when ANA Aeroportos was sold in 2013, Pedro Passos Coelho was Prime Minister, Vitor Gaspar was Minister of Finance, and Álvaro Santos Pereira was Minister of Economy. and the Secretary of State for Infrastructure was Sergio Monteiro.

“It is good that those responsible for these state-destructive decisions explain to the Assembly of the Republic, in the course of a parliamentary investigation, the motivation for these decisions, what their basis is and that they naturally take responsibility for the decisions they make,” he defended.

António Filipe stressed that PCP wants to know whether there were irregularities in this process, why ANA was sold below its appraised value, who authorized this sale and what was the legality of the “delivery to Vinci” of the 2012 dividend.

The MP also criticized Vinci, believing that its management of Portuguese airports “has been the subject of several criticisms”, in particular due to the “lack of investment” in Humberto Delgado Airport, as well as the “unclear duty sales process”. -free TAP stores” and “galloping increase in airport taxes.”

“Vinci made fabulous profits from this privatization and systematically opposed any attempt to build a new Lisbon airport,” he criticized.

Asked about his expectations regarding the possible approval of this proposal, António Filipe recalled that the PCP does not have enough deputies to impose it – 46 deputies would be needed – and stated that at a time when there is so much talk about “the need to fight corruption and protect public interest”, it is an opportunity for “all parties to assume their responsibilities”.

“We understand that anyone who opposes this parliamentary inquiry takes on a serious responsibility because at the end of the day it shows that they are not very interested in protecting the public interest,” he said.