“Rest assured: the partially privatized TAP will maintain its brand and jobs in Portugal and will continue to serve as the central flight distribution platform,” declared the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing during a parliamentary hearing on the proposed State Budget for 2026.
The minister emphasized that the privatization process of the airline is intended to be “fully transparent and bulletproof,” with each stage being overseen by a Special Oversight Commission comprising individuals of impeccable reputation.
The process will also be monitored by a working group in the Assembly of the Republic.
In the housing sector, the minister reiterated that this is a “top priority” for the government, acknowledging it as one of the most pressing concerns for the Portuguese people.
Pinto Luz outlined several ongoing measures: investment in public housing construction, rental support, rent deductions, expansion of the Porta 65 program for youth, fiscal incentives for tenants and landlords, VAT reduction, changes in land law, public loan guarantees for young adults buying homes, and exemption from the IMT and Stamp Duty for first-time home purchases.
Regarding state-owned properties identified for housing, Pinto Luz expressed the belief that “around 300,000 currently unoccupied homes could return to the market” through public auction or public-private partnerships with municipalities or private entities.
Regarding the new Luís de Camões Airport in Alcochete, Pinto Luz stated the government’s commitment to make it “a reality within the planned deadlines and without cost to taxpayers.”
The minister also highlighted efforts to expand 5G technology nationwide, ensuring “no region is left behind,” ongoing negotiations with the European Investment Bank for municipal infrastructure financing, and investment in the railway and CP — Comboios de Portugal.
“This is a budget that continues the path of the country’s development, a budget that considers both the present and the future, enabling us to live and dream, and is both responsible and ambitious,” concluded the minister in his initial remarks.
[Updated at 09:52]
