The Independent Technical Commission (CTI) today handed the government its final report on the location options for Lisbon’s new airport, an official source told Lusa.
The CTI will also submit the report to the Monitoring Committee, which will issue its opinion before the report is published, scheduled for March 22.
On December 5, the CTI presented the preliminary report, which was then submitted to public consultation.
The commission considered that, of the nine options under study, Alcochete is the most advantageous, with a first phase in a ‘dual model’ with Humberto Delgado Airport, then moving on to a single infrastructure on the south bank of the River Tagus.
The Vendas Novas option was also considered viable, along the same lines, i.e. first in a ‘dual model’, then moving on to a single airport.
One day after the legislative elections, the president of the Portuguese Tourism Confederation (CTP), Francisco Calheiros, said he was apprehensive about a possible postponement of the decision on the new airport given the “uncertain” scenario of governability that resulted from the legislative elections.
“We are particularly concerned, in the immediate future, about a possible further postponement of the decision on the new airport, something that would be extremely damaging for tourism and for the country,” said Francisco Calheiros, in a statement sent to the press.
The CTP believes that “the election results suggest an uncertain political landscape in terms of governability and stability”, which raises concerns.
“At a time of great international uncertainty, with the well-known economic and social consequences, the prospect of difficulties in Portugal in having a stable government and the possibility of new elections, leaves tourism entrepreneurs waiting, with a feeling of uncertainty, which does nothing to benefit tourism,” says the confederation.
The Democratic Alliance (AD) won Sunday’s legislative elections with 29.49% of the vote and 79 deputies, compared to the 28.66% and 77 deputies won by the PS, when the four seats in the emigration constituency are still to be allocated.
Chega quadrupled its number of deputies to 48, with 18.06% of the vote.
The IL won eight seats (5.08%), the BE kept its five seats (4.46%), and the CDU reduced its number of seats compared to 2022 to four (3.3%).
Livre will form a parliamentary group for the first time, having managed to reach four deputies (3.26%), while PAN remains with one deputy (1.93%).