Minister Pinto Luz said housing should not be a political weapon

Minister Miguel Pinto Luz said this Friday that housing “should not be a weapon in the political game” and thanked the parties for agreeing to dialogue with the government.

“I have no doubt that if there is one thing that unites this semi-circle, it is a sense of urgency about the housing crisis. The government is focused not only on pointing the finger of blame, but also on the usual blame game, but on developing solutions.” , he defended Pinto Luz at the opening of an industry debate with the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing.

The minister added that “if there is an issue that, because of its urgency, should not be used as a weapon in the political game, it is, without a shadow of a doubt, housing.”

“It is only fair to thank you for accepting this challenge and for the sense of responsibility that each and every one of you brought to these meetings. For this healthy dialectic that honors democracy and elevates us all as political agents,” he said, referring to meetings with representatives opposition, which passed in parliament on Thursday.

In his speech, the minister highlighted not only the package of measures presented by the government last week in the housing sector, but also the decisions announced on Tuesday regarding the future of Lisbon airport, which will be located in Campo de Tiro de Alcochete and will be called Luis de Camões. .

Miguel Pinto Luz recalled the process of creating an independent technical commission together with the previous government.

“The time of technicians is over, and we have come to the time of politicians. The time of decisions. And the long-delayed decision has been made. More than 50 years have passed, more than 15 locations have been studied, and now we finally know that the new Lisbon airport has a place and a name,” he said, declaring that this “epic lasted too long and conditioned the development” of the country.

In his initial speech, Pinto Luz gave an indirect response to the doubts expressed by PS Secretary General Pedro Nuno Santos about increasing the number of flights at the current Humberto Delgado Airport.

“Humberto Delgado Airport has not provided the necessary answer for a long time. It permanently ranks worst in service ratings. It is necessary to intervene, it is necessary to increase the number of possible movements, it is necessary that, at least knowing that this will be temporary – on a temporary basis – Humberto Delgado Airport serves Lisbon and Portugal with dignity,” he said.

“Therefore, interventions will be carried out here too. The capacity of our old, and now temporary airport will be modernized and increased,” he assured.

Opening the debate, Pinto Luz stressed that the government has been in power for just over a month, but has already made decisions “that will last a lifetime.”