On Tuesday, the Azores finance minister said the regional executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) had not been consulted on Luis Rodriguez’s departure from SATA to TAP, criticizing the government’s lack of common sense.
“We were not consulted, but informed about the departure of Luis Rodriguez to TAP. The Azores government was informed, not consulted. We say we’re not going to bend. They are not going to force us to give up. about rescuing SATA,” Duarte Freitas told reporters in Horta during the presentation of the discussions of the Regional Council of Government in Horta, Faial Island.
On Monday, the Government of the Republic selected Luis Rodriguez, who currently heads the Azores state-owned airline SATA, to the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of TAP.
On Tuesday, Duarte Freitas acknowledged that the SATA president’s departure is a “contradiction” and said the regional executive received “contact from the government of the republic just around lunchtime” on Monday, “informing that Luis Rodriguez wanted to be TAP president.”
“Public opinion should impose caution on this privatization process of SATA – Azores Airlines. This is a national issue. And we also understand that there are many wishes in the Azores that are communicated to the Government of the Republic, so it does not go”, criticized.
During the meeting, the Regional Secretary (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) presented the terms of reference for the privatization of Azores Airlines, a SATA group company responsible for communications between the region and the outside world.
The Minister of Finance, Planning and Public Administration, who was called on to point out which “wills” do not want the company’s privatization to “go well”, asked the Azoreans to learn “their lessons”.
“Let people draw their own conclusions. We are all free to do so. What is a fact is that the government of the Azores was informed yesterday [segunda-feira] at lunchtime about what will happen,” he stressed.
Also on February 7, the departure of Mario Chavez from the leadership of SATA Chaves was announced, who will replace Walter Fernandes as CEO of Portugalia from March.
Duarte Freitas added that Luis Rodriguez will remain in office “until the end of March” but stressed that SATA’s board of directors “maintains a quorum” thanks to the presence of two non-executive directors appointed by the regional government.
With the departure of two elements, Teresa Mafalda Gonçalves (group financial director), Bernardo Ponte and João Crispim Ponte (non-executive directors) became members of the board of directors of SATA Holding.
The regional secretary also stressed that Luis Rodriguez is not eligible for care compensation and that the decision on the future head of the airline will always be “of the highest priority to maintain the momentum and components of the Azores Airlines privatization process.”
In June, the European Commission approved a €453.25 million state aid to Portugal to support the airline’s restructuring in the form of loans and government guarantees, which includes “remedies” such as reorganization of the business structure.
The financial injection includes the divestment of a controlling stake (51%) of Azores Airlines, the expansion of ground handling activities and the reorganization of the SATA business structure with the creation of a “holding” that will replace SATA Air Açores in the management of its subsidiary. operations.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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