"We were pleased when the CEO [executive chairman] of TAP had the same opinion as the union on this matter", said the union leader, in a note sent to Lusa, recalling that SNPVAC has always defended "that the State, in a future privatisation, should maintain a public percentage so that it can have an influence on the company's strategic designs".

In an interview with the Financial Times, published today, the chairman of TAP, Luís Rodrigues, defended that the State should maintain a stake in the airline after privatisation and that investors outside the aviation sector should be attracted, to avoid possible competition concerns from the European Commission with the consolidation of airlines.

"My recommendation would be for the Portuguese Government to maintain a position, to be part of the whole development process", said the leader of TAP.

Luís Rodrigues justified that, in this way, it is guaranteed that "if the actors change, no one will enter with a different agenda", pointing out as an example the need to serve the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores.

"I think that at some point we may be ready for a 100% sale, but we will take it one step at a time", he stressed.

The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, on leaving a ministerial meeting in Brussels, defended that the chairman of TAP should focus on management, instead of "interfering in problems that belong to the shareholder".

"I agree that the chairman of TAP should focus on the management of TAP and not interfere in problems that belong to the shareholder. The chairman of TAP should focus on the management of TAP and TAP really needs good management and, at this time, that is it, each one must play their part", said the minister.

The previous socialist government started the TAP re-privatisation process last year and expected to have the operation completed in the first half of this year, but the operation was suspended due to the dissolution of parliament and the calling of early legislative elections, in March, which gave victory to the Democratic Alliance (PSD, CDS-PP and PPM).

On Friday, the Minister of Infrastructure said, in parliament, that the TAP privatisation process opened by the previous executive was not closed by the current one, adding that the calendar is not defined and that this is a phase of reserve.

"The calendar [for the privatisation of TAP] is not defined, but let me tell you, Madam Deputy: the process is open, it was opened by the previous government and this Government has not closed it", said Miguel Pinto Luz, in response to the deputy of the Liberal Initiative Mariana Leitão.

Read Also: TAP: Chairman defends "a position" of the State after privatisation (Portuguese version)