The defence minister declined to say on Friday whether the government was considering privatising Arsenal do Alfeite, which is technically bankrupt, and stressed that the executive’s priority was preserving jobs.
Nuno Melo spoke to journalists at the end of the meeting of the Council of Ministers, extended to the Secretaries of State of the XIV Constitutional Government, which took place in the Fort of São Julião da Barra in Oeiras, and was then asked if the executive power was considering the privatization of the Alfeite Arsenal.
The minister began by saying that any decision would “immediately go through” the consideration of Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, who listened to him sitting next to the lectern where Melo spoke.
“What I can guarantee regarding Arsenal do Alfeite is that we will have a set of priority short-term solutions that will take into account the rescue of Arsenal do Alfeite and the preservation of jobs,” the government official stressed.
For Nuno Melo, the shipyard is “of strategic importance” and the goal is to transform a company “that is full of problems today” into “a profitable company in a highly competitive market and ensure that the Navy has this tool without which it does not exist”.
The defence minister declined to comment further on the matter, saying he would say nothing more “until an agreement is reached and the prime minister agrees” and would not visit the shipyard’s facilities or discuss a new plan of action with the new administration.
On July 19, the government announced that Arsenal do Alfeite had a new board of directors following the dismissal of the previous one, and determined that those in charge would urgently have to present a strategic and investment plan.
The announcement came about a month after Nuno Melo told a hearing in the Assembly of the Republic that he had received Arsenal do Alfeite as a “technical bankruptcy” and that he had taken out a loan of around two million euros to pay salaries and tax obligations.
“We have a technically bankrupt Arsenal do Alfeite, with many ships delayed well beyond the deadline for their maintenance, which is very detrimental to the missions and the efficiency of the Portuguese Navy, but to which we will have to respond,” he declared.
Arsenal do Alfeite has already experienced serious financial problems in the past, which led to delays in wages and even Christmas bonuses in 2020 for the more than 400 workers who make up the company, responsible for the repair and maintenance of the Portuguese Navy’s ships.