Government insists on 100% sale of TAP – PS wants 49%

Portugal’s minister of Infrastructures, Miguel Pinto Luz has continued to insist that the government’s position is for a 100% sale of national airline TAP despite opposition from the opposition PS party.

However, the minister admits that the Portuguese parliament must have the final say in order to avoid the decision being overturned at a later date.

“The Government’s position is that 100% of TAP should be sold,” said Miguel Pinto Luz at the Economy and Public Works Parliamentary Committee Parliamentary.

But taking into account that the PS opposition only wants to sell a minority stake in the airline and believes that the right-wing Chega party wants the same, agreement will have to be reached with the support of parliament, so that the decision is not overturned by a future government.

“I have a maxim in life: all useless effort is amateurish. No one would understand it if we zigzagged back and forth,” said Miguel Pinto Luz.

The operation is “under internal evaluation” and the Government will publish the law decree according to the rules of the process, the minister said.

“This time we want a discussion and a transparent process”, he added, stressing that “there is a new political framework”, in which the coalition parties in government do not have a majority.

Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that the Government is preparing to sell 49%. “I’m not going to comment on Bloomberg’s news. This Government is a minority Government. The Government’s position is for 100% and the (opposition) PS is calling for 49%.

The Government will hold discussions at the right time and place. The PS had backed 100%. Now it has changed, but we are open for debate,” replied Miguel Pinto Luz, when asked about the Government’s position.

“Our priority is that TAP should no longer be owned by the State. There has to be a complete independence of management. I have no doubt about that,” said the minister.