Dili, May 21, 2025 (Lusa) - The secretary-general of the Revolutionary Front for an Independent Timor-Leste (Fretilin, leader of the opposition), Mari Alkatiri, said he will supervise the construction of Nicolau Lobato International Airport, which the government launched on Tuesday.
"I want Dili airport to be of high quality. When construction of the airport begins, I will be the one supervising it". "No one will stop me," said former head of government Mari Alkatiri at a press conference held at his office in the capital.
On Tuesday, the 23rd anniversary of the country's restoration of independence, the government of Timor-Leste launched work to modernise the airport and extend the runway.
The new terminal, which will include two passenger boarding bridges, will be built alongside the work to rehabilitate and expand the runway of the country's main airport from 1,850 metres to 2,150 metres.
The project will be financed through a loan from the Asian Development Bank, with support from the governments of Japan and Australia and from the Timorese state through the State Budget.
At the press conference, Mari Alkatiri also criticised the speech given by the Timorese president, José Ramos-Horta, during the celebrations marking the restoration of independence, considering that he continues to promote himself.
"That was not a state speech, but a self-promotional speech. That is not a state speech," the former head of government told journalists.
According to Mari Alkatiri, a state speech should focus on the country's current situation, not on comments "about oneself."
In his speech on Tuesday at the ceremony celebrating the 23rd anniversary of the restoration of independence, the Timorese president recalled his first term as head of state between 2007 and 2012 and his 10-year journey before returning to the presidency in 2022.
In statements to journalists, Mari Alkatiri acknowledged the merits of the president, whom he considered an "extremely active person." Still, she stressed that he values results and has not seen any improvements in the last three years.
"I am a person who values results. You can hold many positions, but if there are no results, nothing is positive," he concluded.
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