The non-executive president of ANA denies that there has been a drop in investments in Lisbon airport. In statements this Tuesday in Parliament, José Luís Arnaut explained to the deputies that there was an agreement with the State for the development of Montijo (in 2019). The investment and master plan for the reinforcement of the Lisbon airport were in that agreement. “We were conditioned to wait for the EIA (environmental impact declaration) to carry out the work.”

Following the lead of local authorities in arriving at this solution, there was a waiting period agreed with the previous Government. “It was the political uncertainty regarding the airport that prevented what was contracted from being done.” Now, with the path defined, “we are moving forward and we are consulting proposals to advance with the works of the Humberto Delgado airport, which represents an investment of 200 million euros. The manager reported to the communist deputy António Filipe.

Regarding the negotiation process with the Government on the implementation of the airport solution, José Luís Arnaut clarified the words spoken by the president of the French group in a meeting with investors. “What was said in the meeting is that this process has established negotiation deadlines. The deadlines are those established by law, what we can shorten will be shortened and what we can do faster we will do.” The concession contract provides for a negotiation period of up to 36 months, which the Government wants to accelerate.

José Luís Arnaut also explained that there are 180 days (six months) to present a first plan and 24 months to find a solution. And he refused to comment on the process when he has not yet started talks with the Government demanding the creation of a negotiating commission.

In his initial intervention, the non-executive president assured that “Vinci had no intervention in the privatization process of ANA. Nor could it be due to a legal imperative,” says the non-executive president, José Luís Arnaut, in Parliament. Called by the PCP to explain an operation performed more than ten years ago.

Highlighting that it was an operation that followed the principles of competition, transparency and non-discrimination. “Vinci was one of the competitors and was chosen because it presented the most favorable proposal”, more than 600 million euros above the second proposal.

For the non-executive president of ANA, the issues that the economy and public works commission seeks to clarify “should be posed to the political leaders who led the process.” The privatization was carried out between 2012 and 2013 by the Government of Passos Coelho and the communists intend to summon several former political leaders of the time to this commission, including the then prime minister.

From Passos to Pedro Nuno, passing through Galamba. Parliament wants to hear from 15 people about the sale and contracting of ANA

“This is not an attempt to avoid scrutiny, but it is not possible for us to clarify issues in matters in which we do not intervene.” José Luís Arnaut does not fully consider the “highly critical considerations in the PCP’s request. The facts contradict these statements”, highlighting the undeniable advantages for Portugal and the Portuguese.

The directors of the French company also point out that the bet made in 2012 was “risky” for Vinci because analysts did not believe in a rapid recovery in Portugal and that the shares were penalized after the purchase of ANA for the value offered.

ANA takes credit for traffic growth and says it gave incentives worth 220 million to companies

These advantages were quantified by the executive president, Thierry Ligonnières, who compared the amounts paid by ANA to the State before the sale (160 million euros over ten years) with the 740 million paid in taxes on profits afterwards. Lisbon airport had the second highest growth in Europe. ANA paid 160 million to the State and after the entry of Vinci, the concessionaire paid 740 million in IRC. Lisbon had the second highest growth in Europe, entering the TOP of the 20 airports. “You cannot talk about the operation carried out more than ten years ago without mentioning the transformative impact on the Portuguese economy.”

The manager states that an additional 1% increase in traffic represents 450 million and associates the growth in air traffic recorded in the last ten years at Lisbon airport to the management of the concessionaire. The concessionaire offered 220 million in economic incentives to attract more companies to Lisbon airport, he added.