Portuguese Infrastructure Minister Pedro Nuno Santos resigned on Thursday over the scandal ignited by reports of a half-a-million euro severance payment to a departing official by state-owned airline TAP
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th December, 2022) Portuguese Infrastructure Minister Pedro Nuno Santos resigned on Thursday over the scandal ignited by reports of a half-a-million euro severance payment to a departing official by state-owned airline TAP.
Last week, local media reported that former TAP board member Alexandra Reis received around 500,000 Euros ($533,000) in severance compensation when resigning in February, which was later confirmed by the airline itself. After leaving TAP, Reis was appointed the treasury secretary of state; however, amid the scandal, she had to resign at the request of Finance Minister Fernando Medina.
"In view of the public perception and sentiment around this case, the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, intends, in this context, to assume political responsibility and has presented his resignation to the prime minister," the Infrastructure Ministry stated, as quoted by Politico Europe.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa accepted the minister's resignation, the newspaper noted.
Last month, the US Department of Transportation announced TAP had to pay $126.5 million in refunds to passengers due to delays and cancellations of flight and a $1.1 million fine for extreme delays in providing refunds.
