New Lisbon Airport could cost €6-€8Bn

The Portuguese government has reacted to a report from the company that runs the country’s 10 airports, ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, on the construction works for Lisbon’s new Luís de Camões which suggested that the cost of the project did not include access infrastructures like road and rail links.

The government had initially announced that the works for the Luís de Camões Airport in Alcochete had been budgeted at €6.1Bn.

But the report from ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal revealed that it could cost over €8Bn and not including the transport accesses.

Moreover, the cost of the access infrastructures would have to be footed by the taxpayers.

The government countered that the preliminary report from ANA, which was delivered this week at a public event by the airports management company that is held by the French company Vinci Airports, would not have direct costs on the tax payer.

The Minister of Infrastructures and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz said that after studying the preliminary report, the government continued to have the intention not place the burden directly on the State Budget for the costs of the construction of the new airport.

Moreover, he added, “the ANA report presents a scenario whereby there are no direct taxes for taxpayers, again stressing the government’s initial conviction.

Miguel Pinto Luz’s office also stated that the “government was carrying out the project according to the timelines defined”.

Work on the new airport is expected to start in the New Year. The question still remains – who is paying for the infrastructures and from what funds?

Photo: ANDRÉ KOSTERS/LUSA
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