PS Açores regarded this Thursday the announcement of the regional government (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) about the cancellation of the current tender and the launch of a new one for the privatization of Azores Airlines, owned by the SATA group, as “good news” for the region.
“Government Statement [Regional] that it will cancel the privatization process and launch a new procedure [para a privatização da Azores Airlines] ends up being good news for the Azores and the Azoreans because it is also government recognition [de] which has failed in the process that it has developed and implemented so far,” said Carlos Silva, member of the secretariat of the Azores PS.
According to socialist statements released by the party, at the beginning of the process, the leader of the coalition “talked about a process in which more than 30 interested parties took part, and it ended in zero results because it was cancelled.”
“And it was a procedure that did not protect regional interests, did not protect jobs, did not protect the maintenance of the headquarters in the Azores. And all this has been said several times over the past year, by the PS, other parties, social partners and the government [Regional] always ignored,” he continued.
The socialist also recalled that the executive power of the Azores “also hid information from parliament about the privatization process,” information that “remains unknown to this day.”
The government of the Azores announced this Thursday the cancellation of the tender for the privatization of Azores Airlines and the launch of a new one, saying that at the beginning of the process the company was valued at six million euros and is now worth 20 million. but denied that the decision was influenced by doubts about a rival consortium.
In early April, the jury of the public tender for the privatization of Azores Airlines presented its final report and upheld the decision to accept only one competitor, but raised doubts about the ability of the Newtour/MS Aviation consortium to ensure the viability of the company. .
The SATA group’s board of directors, led by Teresa Gonsalves, who has since resigned, expressed “reservations regarding the NewTour MS Aviation consortium and the competitor’s limitations” in an opinion sent to the regional government.
PS/Açores hopes that “this time the government [Regional] be able to be more transparent, more competent and more professional in the necessary privatization process that was agreed with Brussels.”
“But negotiations were held with Brussels on the sale of a maximum of 51%. So it doesn’t make any sense to the government. [açoriano] make the same mistake and go beyond what was agreed with Brussels. It is important that the Azores maintain a corresponding position in the share capital of Azores Ailines, because only in this way will they be able to protect regional interests,” states Carlos Silva.
Finally, the socialist stressed that the statement about the suspension of the privatization process of Azores Airlines, made by the coalition government during the election campaign for the regional elections, “was nothing more than a farce, because everyone was already expecting what ultimately happened today.” which was to cancel this process and start a new one.”
According to the PS, in this process the regional government “deceived and cheated the Azoreans”, which it considers “deplorable”.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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