“The strong and robust results” of the airline demonstrate that TAP “is an attractive company,” said the official in Vilamoura, Algarve.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 24th Congress of the National Association of Public Road Transporters of Goods (ANTRAM), Miguel Pinto Luz stated that the Government “is pleased” with the interest of European aviation groups in purchasing the Portuguese airline.
So far, formal interest in privatization has been confirmed from Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, and International Airlines Group (IAG) – owner of British Airways and Iberia.
“The Government is pleased with what was expected, namely that the three largest European groups expressed their intentions to participate in the TAP privatization,” he emphasized.
Miguel Pinto Luz refrained from commenting on the expressions of interest already presented for the purchase of TAP, deferring any comment until after the deadline, on Saturday at 17:00.
“Parpública is following the whole process, and until tomorrow at five in the afternoon, we will not comment,” he stressed.
The minister assured that the Government would not sell TAP “hastily,” reiterating that the priority is “to strictly meet deadlines and ensure total transparency and that the process proceeds without setbacks.”
“TAP is an old, very murky story, and we don’t want any of that. We want transparency, dialogue, and parliament will be an entity that will permanently scrutinize the whole process,” he emphasized.
Miguel Pinto Luz highlighted that privatization is “inevitable,” warning of the impossibility of new financial injections by the State: “If there’s any hiccup, any change in the world economy, we cannot inject even one more euro into that company.”
The minister also stressed that the Government intends to ensure “a healthy TAP, serving the Portuguese, the PALOP, strategic routes, and the Lisbon hub.”
“That is what we want, and that is what we will achieve,” he concluded.
The privatization process foresees the sale of up to 44.9% of TAP’s capital, with 5% reserved for employees.
