Partial divestment of Azores Airlines is taking place with total transparency, assures Berto Messias
The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs has assured in Horta that the partial divestiture of Azores Airlines is "a process legitimised by the Parliament and is fully transparent."
Berto Messias spoke Thursday at the Legislative Assembly. On the occasion, he recalled that the sale of 49% of the Azores Airline was "approved at the debate on the 2018 Regional Budget." Therefore, the Regional Government's decision is "perfectly legitimate from a political and formal standpoint."
The Regional Secretary stated that Grupo SATA submits a report to the Court of Auditors on an annual basis. He regretted that the Left Block party devalued the efforts undertaken during the Inquiry Commission to Sata in 2015, during which the company's management was widely scrutinised by all political parties represented at the Azorean Parliament.
Berto Messias stressed that "the establishment of a special and independent commission in charge of monitoring the partial divestment process of Azores Airlines" was approved during the debate on the Region's Budget for 2018.
"This independent commission, made up of independent personalities, is led by Elias Pereira. It has already been made public and its members have been nominated; it is already in office.
Berto Messias also highlighted the role played by "SATA Internacional, now designated as Azores Airlines, at the service of the Azorean population" when "there was an unprecedented crisis. This was a time when the air carrier asserted itself as "an important tool in supporting the tourism sector" in the Region.
During his speech at the plenary session, the government official rejected the accusations made by the Left Bloc, according to which the Regional Government has allegedly "killed SATA." In this regard, he assured that the Government "has always protected the company, its importance in the present and the importance it will certainly have in the future for the Region."
"From the Regional Government's perspective, this is a process that should neither stop nor be interrupted; it has been legitimised. This is a process that will respect all the assumption and principles of transparency, maintaining what is absolutely unquestionable for us: the fact that the Region should remain the major shareholder of Azores Airlines, which will continue to be fundamental for the future of our Region and of all Azoreans," said Berto Messias.