Lisbon, July 11, 2025 (Lusa) - The PS said on Friday that the government was paving the way for the total privatisation of TAP, an idea rejected by the minister of infrastructure, who said that the government’s mandate is for a partial sale.

“The government cannot say that it intends to privatise up to 49.9% while, at the same time, it is preparing the process to potentially reach 100% in the future,” said PS deputy Frederico Francisco, considering that “the government’s objective remains the total privatisation of TAP”.

During the urgent debate requested by Chega, one day after the government began the process of privatising TAP, the former secretary of state for infrastructure argued that “the state bailed out TAP because it plays a fundamental, irreplaceable role in the country’s economy” and “every year it facilitates exports worth more than the value of the bailout”.

The socialist MP pointed out that TAP is “capitalised, profitable again, making a profit” and “maintaining its economic activity in Portugal”, and argued that “this is where the money invested by the state is recovered"

“The government secured a mandate for 49.9% per cent and treated the second phase of privatisation as a decree-law,” said Minister Miguel Pinto Luz, inviting the PS to confirm support for this solution and “state whether it favours a sustainable TAP.”

The minister also commended the Socialists for “supporting TAP in a manner that honours the Portuguese people.”

At the opening of the debate, the leader of Chega considered that the government is preparing to make “a less than ideal deal” and argued that the government must ensure that the money invested in the company will return to the state coffers and that it must “enforce efficiency in prices, action and services”.

André Ventura also said that Chega “will always oppose a total and savage privatisation of TAP”.

On behalf of the PSD, MP Gonçalo Lage accused the PS of “a series of zigzags” on this issue and of having acknowledged the privatisation of the majority of the airline’s capital.

Later, fellow Social Democrat Paulo Moniz stressed that the process initiated by the government “strategically safeguards Portugal’s interests” and aims to “ensure that Portugal will continue to have a say in strategic decisions, both in terms of political decisions and in terms of the future shareholder agreement”.

João Almeida, of the CDS, acknowledged that “a phased privatisation process” would allow for “a more extensive privatisation” in the future.

On behalf of the IL, Jorge Teixeira defended the total privatisation of TAP, saying that “the Portuguese look forward to resolving this saga that has been going on for over a decade”.

On the other hand, the left voiced support for public ownership, starting with the parliamentary leader of the PCP, who argued that “the money invested in TAP is recovered every day” if the company remains in the public sphere, and emphasised the importance of safeguarding jobs and workers’ rights.

Jorge Pinto, from Livre, also opposed the sale, arguing that “selling a Portuguese asset that is profitable and essential to the economy is simplistic, it is taking the easy way out”.

The sole MPs also highlighted the operation’s shortcomings, with the BE accusing the government of wanting to sell TAP “for a song”, the JPP stressing that privatisation “will weaken and compromise TAP’s role”, and the PAN calling for “greater participation by civil society and opposition parties in this decision-making process”.

FM/ADB // ADB.

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