Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas’s stance on the controversial Humberto Delgado Airport expansion drew criticism from city council member Pedro Anastácio during a recent public municipal meeting. Anastácio expressed surprise over the situation, remarking, “I never expected that the Mayor of Loures, Ricardo Leão (PS), would defend the interests of Lisbon’s population better than our own mayor,” criticizing Moedas’s approach.
The conflict emerged around the administrative action initiated by the Public Prosecution Service, which seeks the nullification and annulment of modification and expansion works at the airport. Both Lisbon and Loures municipalities were notified to voice their positions on the matter.
Anastácio noted with disapproval that Lisbon’s response was a mere summary of municipal resolutions without a clear stance, unlike Loures, which firmly opposed the project’s impact on noise and pollution levels over the city. He argued that Moedas’s position neither protected community interests nor adhered to city council resolutions, such as filing an injunction to block the airport’s expansion—a resolution backed by the Socialist Party and opposed by the governing PSD/CDS-PP coalition, which operates without absolute majority control.
Mayor Carlos Moedas defended the airport expansion, emphasizing the need for the project to receive full regulatory approvals, including environmental impact assessments. He described Lisbon’s stance as a product of both political and legal reasoning and believed the municipality’s approach was well-conducted and adequate.
Highlighting environmental commitments, Moedas stated, “Lisbon is today one of the 100 cities in Europe aiming to be carbon-neutral by 2030, ahead of the European Union’s objectives.” However, Anastácio dismissed the reply and the municipality’s position as weak and lacking determination.
The Socialist Party council members issued a statement accusing Moedas of neglecting Lisboans’ health and quality of life. They urged the municipal government—including opposition groups—to honor previously approved measures aimed at halting the airport’s expansion, which was facilitated by a PSD/CDS government decision.
The Socialist Party advanced a legal motion in October to hold ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal accountable for non-compliance with the Noise Action Plan, alongside advocating for halting the airport development through interim measures. Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution Service sought a ruling from the Supreme Administrative Court in December to nullify various administrative acts related to the airport project, including the exemption from mandatory environmental impact assessments.
