Fresh Tap Air Portugal Controversy Erupts After Police Raids

Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has warned that uncertainty surrounding nan caller investigation into TAP Air Portugal could harm Portugal’s position and perchance impact passengers, unless authorities complete nan probe some “thoroughly but quickly.” His comments travel constabulary searches crossed 25 locations linked to nan airline’s 2015 privatisation.

Speaking astatine Nova University of Lisbon connected Tuesday, November 18, nan president intervened publically arsenic unit builds connected TAP during an already delicate reprivatisation process. With millions of passengers relying connected TAP for long-haul and intra-Europe routes, nan renewed scrutiny adds caller turbulence for an hose already grappling pinch nationalist spot issues.

President hints uncertainty could deed travellers arsenic TAP reprivatisation looms

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said it was “advantageous for nan privatisation of TAP successful wide that everything that needs to beryllium investigated is investigated thoroughly but besides quickly” – a remark that galore analysts construe arsenic a informing that prolonged uncertainty could weaken nan hose astatine a important moment.

He stressed that awesome bids are astatine stake, noting that “an cognition specified arsenic nan privatisation of TAP implies bids [and] liking from respective candidates” – a constituent of interest for regular travellers who knowledgeable way cancellations, timetable changes and value hikes during earlier restructurings.

Crucially, nan president added, “When it comes to TAP, what matters is Portugal’s position.”
For predominant fliers, nan fearfulness is whether that “position” yet protects nan airline, aliases nan passengers who dangle connected it.

Fresh scrutiny reopens aged wounds from nan 2015 TAP sale

The probe concerns nan erstwhile PSD/CDS-PP government’s determination to waste 61 per cent of TAP successful 2015 to nan Atlantic Gateway consortium.

For travellers, this humanities whiplash of privatisation, nationalisation, and reprivatisation has created years of uncertainty astir pricing, reliability, and early routes.

Police searches target business groups tied to TAP deal

The Judicial Police confirmed that 25 sites were searched, including rule firms, audit companies and Barraqueiro Group owned by Humberto Pedrosa – a cardinal fig successful nan 2015 consortium pinch David Neeleman. No arrests were made, according to nan Attorney General’s Office.

The investigation covers suspected offences including harmful administration, economical information successful business, passive private-sector corruption, qualified taxation fraud and qualified societal information fraud.

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