PM António Costa dismisses minister of infrastructure

  • ECO News
  • 30 June 2022

If Pedro Nuno Santos does not resign, it will be António Costa who will dismiss the minister of infrastructure, after he cancelled the order on Lisbon's new airport.

If  the minister of infrastructure does not resign, António Costa will dismiss Pedro Nuno Santos, according to Público newspaper. A decision that comes after the prime minister cancelled the order on Lisbon’s new airport this Thursday.

Rádio Renascença says the prime minister was unaware of the order issued and published by the minister on the Lisbon region airport capacity expansion plan, and this morning decided to revoke it, with a statement from the prime minister’s office explaining that a solution on the future Lisbon airport “has to be negotiated and agreed with the opposition, in particular with the main opposition party”.

Luís Montenegro will only take office as president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), replacing Rui Rio, this weekend and António Costa wants to negotiate the outcome of this process with him.

The new solution to boost airport capacity in the Lisbon region envisages the construction of an airport at the current Montijo Air Base no. 6 by 2026 and another at Alcochete Shooting Range, to come into operation in 2035, which would replace Humberto Delgado.