"I have no doubt that if there is a matter that unites this hemicycle, it is the feeling of urgency towards the Housing crisis. More than pointing fingers, more than playing the usual blame game, the Government is focused on developing solutions", defended Pinto Luz, in the opening of the sectorial debate with the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing.

The minister added that, "if there is a matter that, due to its urgency, should not be a weapon in the political game, it is undoubtedly Housing".

"It is fair to thank you for having accepted this challenge and for the sense of responsibility that everyone, without exception, brought to these meetings. For this healthy dialectic that honours democracy and elevates us all as political agents", he said, referring to the meetings with the opposition benches, which took place in parliament on Thursday.

In his speech, the minister highlighted not only the package of measures presented last week by the Government for housing, but also the decisions announced on Tuesday regarding the future Lisbon airport, which will be located in the Alcochete Shooting Range and will be called Luís de Camões.

Miguel Pinto Luz recalled the process of creating an independent technical commission, together with the previous Government.

"The time of the technicians has passed, and we have reached the time of the politicians. The time for decisions. And the long-postponed decision has been made. More than 50 years have passed, more than 15 locations have been studied, and now we finally know that the new Lisbon Airport has a place and a name", he said, saying that this "saga had been dragging on for too long and was hindering the evolution" of the country.

In his initial speech, Pinto Luz gave an indirect response to doubts that have been raised by the PS Secretary-General, Pedro Nuno Santos, about the increase in the number of flights at the current Humberto Delgado airport.

"Humberto Delgado Airport has long since stopped providing the necessary response. It is constantly ranked among the worst in terms of service. We need to intervene, we need to increase the number of possible movements, even though we know that, temporarily - temporarily - Humberto Delgado Airport must serve Lisbon and Portugal with dignity", he said.

"Therefore, interventions will also be made here. We will modernise and increase the capacity of our old and now provisional airport", he assured.

In the opening of the debate, Pinto Luz stressed that the Government has been in office for just over a month, but has already made decisions "that will have implications for a lifetime".

Read Also: New airport? "A saga that had been dragging on for too long" (Portuguese version)