PAN wants to remove Pinto Luz from managing TAP reprivatization process

On Tuesday, PAN said Infrastructure and Housing Minister Miguel Pinto Luz should be removed from the management of the TAP reprivatization file because he “does not have the political fitness” to continue to lead it.

“As for the suitability of Miguel Pinto Luz, we do not think he is politically fit to continue leading the TAP reprivatization process,” said PAN’s only deputy.

The PAN representative believes that the Minister of Infrastructure “does not have the political training to put the interests of the Portuguese above all else, since it was more than clear that at the time this deal did not take into account the interests of the Portuguese. Portugal, the interest in developing the economy of our country and maintaining this company.”

In a statement to reporters at the Assembly of the Republic, Inês de Souza Real said the prime minister “must appoint another government official to be in charge of this entire process, or call one to his office, so that there is virtually no doubt that the public interest will prevail” and ensure that the public money invested in the airline “will return to the Portuguese people, because it is desperately needed in many areas of the country.”

Regarding the government’s continuation in power, the PAN deputy refused to make “judgments in a public forum” and said that “Luis Montenegro will have the say.”

As for Maria Luis Albuquerque, who was finance minister during the privatisation and has now been chosen by the government as European Commissioner, Sousa Real said he does not support this choice, which “is synonymous with the troika and austerity and, as such, is a memory and revival of ultra-conservative politics” that does not want “even Portugal and certainly not Europe”.

This reaction followed the findings of an audit by the Inspectorate General of Finance (IGF) of TAP’s accounts.

The deputy noted that she would propose holding hearings in the Assembly of the Republic of Minister Miguel Pinto Luz, who in 2015 was Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, then Minister of Finance, Maria Luis Albuquerque, as well as former Secretary of State Sergio Monteiro and former President of the Republic.

PAN also wants to hear from current Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmento “what the Finance Ministry will do to guarantee the public interest” and avoid “gray areas” in “the legislation applicable to this type of contract and reprivatization.”

Ines de Souza Real said it was “very important that all the clarifications are provided so that no one is above the law, so that there are no untouchables.”

“This report [da IGF] “It is intended to demonstrate that the Portuguese paid one of the most expensive tickets in the history of Portugal, one-way, non-refundable,” he said.

Pointing out that the IGF is talking about an “alleged self-financing scheme for the acquisition” of TAP, Ines de Souza Real said that “it is now up to the State Ministry to investigate this matter as quickly as possible and ensure that – this is accountability for this business that has been absolutely disastrous for the management of TAP, but also, again, money that the country needs.”

Noting that during the state budget negotiations she “always heard from successive governments that there was no money,” the sole PAN MP noted that “apparently there is money for the negotiations, as in the case of TAP,” insisting that the executive branch must guarantee that “every cent invested will be returned to the Portuguese.”