The Minister for Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, highlighted on Tuesday that the Government of Luís Montenegro proposed to "defend the interests of the Portuguese State", and not "defend the interests of ANA", when choosing the Alcochete solution for building the new airport. Starting by highlighting that the Government's decision was based on "the construction of an airport that will not burden the State Budget by one euro", Miguel Pinto Luz pointed out that "it will be ANA's responsibility to develop the new infrastructure". "We listened, we understand the concerns, but the decision is ours. We are defending the interests of the Portuguese State, we are not defending the interests of ANA", he said in an interview with SIC Notícias. The official also clarified that the projection of "infrastructures of this dimension is for generations", and it is necessary to "meet the expected demand at that time". "The Montijo solution does not serve the purpose of having an infrastructure that guarantees redundancy for Lisbon's airspace, that guarantees all the necessary and sufficient conditions to provide a quality service to Lisbon", he added. Questioned as to why the Executive did not opt for the location in Santarém, which would not incur more costs, Miguel Pinto Luz referred the question to the Independent Technical Commission (CTI), while recalling that the Social Democratic Party (PSD) defined a methodology with the then Government of the Socialist Party (PS). "The PSD made a decision together with the Government at the time, led by the PS. This methodology was created, established and we reached a goal. What would happen if we questioned this entire methodology? Along the way, we raised some doubts about what was happening; some lack of transparency, some excess of protagonism of some members of the commission, links to Alcochete, but we went to analyse the report without any kind of prejudice. The report is serious, both in its first version and in the later version with the public discussion", he explained, pointing out, however, that "prices have to be updated, possibly upwards". In any case, Miguel Pinto Luz acknowledged that it is necessary to "reach a platform of understanding [with ANA] that says that Alcochete in fact has potential", since "Portela has no room for growth; Alcochete does". "Alcochete has space to be a large aeronautical maintenance cluster, for sustainable energies for aviation. All this will generate more revenue, more passengers [and it will] be possible to transfer to the construction that is necessary", he said. As for the negotiations with ANA, which has expressed its willingness to collaborate with the Government, the minister pointed out that the concessionaire "knows the path it has to take", as well as the path that the Executive has to take. "Each one defends its interests. Our interest is only one: that of the Portuguese and of the Portuguese State. I will not start a negotiation process with ANA anticipating a scenario of not reaching an agreement. [We established] a balanced position, with close articulation with ANAC, with NAV, with TAP, which is our airline and has to have a say and was not heard enough in all the processes. The greatest difficulty that exists in a European country is in meeting deadlines, because we are obliged to a set of contractual clauses, environmental impact assessments, mitigating measures", he specified. Miguel Pinto Luz was also emphatic in saying that "there is no" possibility of the country being 'stranded' in a dual solution, since the construction of Alcochete will include "two runways together, out of phase by one year". It should be noted that the Prime Minister defended today that the option for a single airport is the "most appropriate for the country's strategic interests", and that Alcochete guarantees room for expansion and growth of the TAP hub. In addition to having decided on the location and name of the new Lisbon airport - which will be called Luís de Camões - the Government also approved the determination of a works plan for the current Humberto Delgado Airport, the conclusion of the studies for a third Tagus crossing and the high-speed rail link between Lisbon and Madrid. [News updated at 10:07 pm]

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