The President of the Republic returned the diploma on the privatization of TAR to the Government

This Friday, the President of the Republic returned the diploma on the privatization of TAR to the government, asking for clarification of three aspects.

In a note published on the president’s website, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa raises “the question future effective control and intervention of the state in a strategic company”, taking into account the possibility allowed by the government of the sale of a stake exceeding 51% of the capital of the company.

Another question from the President focuses on the fact that the diploma allows TAP “may sell or acquire, even before the decision to sell, any type of asset without any other minimum precision or criteria that go far beyond the projected integration of Portugal.”

Marcelo Rebelo de Souza also expresses dissatisfaction with the lack of guarantees of “full transparency (…) of the rules. which will guide the choice of a possible buyer, at least making it clear that these negotiations will not be binding and that these contacts will be recorded.”

“These three specific but critical issues can be clarified without much delay, that is, without compromising the urgency of the process,” he concludes.

The government announced in the Council of Ministers the approval of a decree-law defining the conditions for the reprivatization of the TAR on September 28.

Presenting the decree, Finance Minister Fernando Medina said the government intends to sell at least 51% of TAP’s capital, “this is the minimum percentage.”

As for the specification, the minister expressed his intention to submit it to the Council of Ministers by the end of this year, at the latest at the beginning of next year.

On this day, Marcelo Rebelo de Souza expressed concern about whether the diploma he received contained “legal conditions to defend the position of the state” in the reprivatization of TAP with “the value of law”, or whether they would be consigned to the notebook of accusations.

Reactions

António Costa (Prime Minister): “The Prime Minister notes the concerns of His Excellency the President of the Republic, which will be duly taken into account.”

Eurico Brillante Díaz (Leader of the PS Parliament): “I think that the Office of the Prime Minister has already communicated that, naturally, it will consider a number of aspects that the President of the Republic raises in his message and in the usual legislative manner. the process will certainly continue to interact to achieve a good outcome.”

Miguel Pinto Luz (PSD vice-president): “This is essentially the culmination of a soap opera of the constant zigzags of Antonio Costa, who changed his mind three or four times, and a huge lack of transparency.”

Andre Ventura (President of Chega): “Cega understands perfectly the position of the President of the Republic. This clearly shows and highlights the incompetence and lack of transparency of the government in this process.”

Bernardo Blanco (IL MP): “I was not completely surprised, because about a month ago, when the diploma was made public, (…) one of the points that I emphasized was that in the process that I did not think was warned. I think the President of the Republic heard this.”

José Gusmão (BE Director): “The debate about the objectives to be achieved by the privatization of TAP should lead us to the conclusion, without obstinacy on the part of the government, that the only way to guarantee the concerns that the PR expresses in regard to the consequences of the privatization of TAP, and Also the role that TAR plays in the economy and even in Portuguese society, the only way to ensure a solution to these problems is to abandon the privatization of TAR. exactly on time, and it would be good news for the country.”

Vasco Cardoso (member of the Political Commission of the PKP): “The concerns expressed by the President of the Republic cannot be answered if the privatization process continues, only a public TAR in the service of the development of the country can guarantee the concerns he raised.”