Signed the sale of TAP, “a story announced since the late … – publico

                 

                         
                     

                         
                     

                         

                 

 
                         

It was completed on Wednesday the troubled process of privatization of a majority stake in TAP, a sale which the Government could only make the second attempt and that motivated many protests by company workers and the opposition.

                     

                          The contracts of sale of 61% of the company to Gateway consortium of businessmen Humberto Pedrosa and David Neeleman, were signed this morning at the Ministry of Finance in Lisbon. At the ceremony were also the Minister of Finance, Maria Luís Albuquerque, and Economy Minister, António Pires de Lima, who described the privatization as “a story announced since the late 90s.”

In the statement that accompanied the signing, Neeleman, owner of Blue, a Brazilian airline, outlined the plans he has for the company: buy new aircraft, “greatly expand to the US” and bet on the Brazilian market he put a measure for. the European market: “The service aboard the TAP can be the best in Europe”

“We will make every effort to use the capital that we will put this company to create a great company. “said the businessman, who is American and also has Brazilian nationality, a Portuguese born American accent He added that workers -. some of which staged strikes in protest against the sale – will have” great pride in this mark, this tradition of 70 years. “

The operation means a cash inflow of ten million euros for the Portuguese State and an investment of 354 million to capitalize the TAP. The Government intends to sell the remaining capital in the coming years.

On the other hand, Humberto Pedrosa, who owns the road transport company Barraqueiro said that “TAP will continue to be a Portuguese company,” which the consortium will “grow steadily in a long-term project.” The sale means that the seat and the steering TAP remain in Portugal for the next ten years.

Since the Minister of Finance stated that “privatization is the only solution that ensures the viability of TAP as the know today “and described the sale as” further proof that the reformist efforts of the Government remains with the same force. “