(dr) Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing
Miguel Pinto Luz, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing
This Friday, the government asked ANA to move forward with the application for the construction of the new Lisbon Luís de Camões airport (NAL), but wants to negotiate conditions.
Concessionaire ANA must prepare the application for the construction of the new Lisbon airport, the government ordered on Friday morning.
“With this response, the Government inaugurates a new procedural phase in which the concessionaire is expected to prepare all the documents necessary for the application”, quotes the .
The initial report on the development of Lisbon’s airport capacity (High Level Assumption Report), delivered by ANA on December 17, was approved, but, according to a statement from the Ministry of Infrastructure also shared with , this “may not be construed as constituting acceptance of the contentterms, conditions and/or assumptions of the initial report”.
Therefore, the government will negotiate with the concessionaire, in a discussion of four main points: reducing project cost (there will be use of evaluations and consultation of stakeholders), compliance with the environmental legislationan attempt to reduce the construction duration (6 years) and changing the financial model that will be applied.
On this last point, the Observer mentions the change in airport taxes, the extension of the concession and the sharing of risks as points to be reviewed.
Despite the green light, the government also emphasizes that there will not be a specific item in the State Budget to finance the NAL.
The press release thus highlights the “fact that the financing proposal presented by the concessionaire does not provide for direct contribution from the State Budgetin full alignment with the Government in this regard”.
What will exist is, and is already foreseen in the OE for 2025, a realization of “basic studies” to evaluate the technical decisions that will be applied at Luís de Camões airport, which will be located at the Air Force Shooting Range, in Alcochete.
The executive estimates that the NAL will be ready in 2034. The Independent Technical Commission (CTI) indicated an investment of R$6.1 billion. However, on subsequent review, it was concluded that the project could ultimately cost around 9 billion euros.
