The Minister of Infrastructure guaranteed today that "there is no investment cut" in the railway, but rather the "recognition of delays in ongoing investments", after the expenditure planned for this year is around 25% lower than budgeted.
«The projects themselves will be done, they will not be done as quickly as we all wanted», João Galamba told journalists, during a visit to the Operational Command Center (CCO) in Lisbon, adding that there are problems in the execution of the investment.
On Friday, the Ministry of Infrastructure admitted implementing 189 million euros less of public investment in the railway this year compared to what was initially foreseen in the State Budget for 2023.
«We have been following it very closely, both in dialogue with IP and with the contractors, obviously trying to ensure that these works are carried out as quickly as possible, but there is no reduction in investment ambition, no abandonment of any investment project» , he insisted, stressing that the entire investment planned for the railway “is to be carried out”.
The government official guaranteed that the executive will do “everything” to ensure that the investment “is executed as quickly as possible”.
«Unfortunately, this doesn't just depend on the Government and it doesn't just depend on IP and, often, it doesn't just depend on contractors, since we're also talking about equipment and materials that have to be supplied by third parties», he pointed out.
João Galamba added that by the end of the year “the first tender for the first section of the TGV will be launched, and then the second” – although the second is awaiting the issuance of the environmental impact statement.
Asked about new information about the privatization of TAP, Galamba sent new developments soon.
“The decree-law is expected to be approved this week and, therefore, there will be news about this when the decree-law is presented,” he said.
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