Aligned with the measures already in force, such as Provisional Measure 1024/2020, which expands the rules for the refund of plane tickets, and the Voo Simples program, the Federal Government of Brazil is working to strengthen the long-term balance of the entire air sector, according to statements made by the Minister of Infrastructure, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, during a virtual debate promoted by the Brazilian Association of Infrastructure and Basic Industries (Abdid) last Friday (14).
“We are already working with the concessionaires for a new round of rebalancing; now and in the long term,” said the minister. He noted that, in 2020, the government adopted measures to maintain the activities of the entire sector, such as postponing the payment of fees until the end of the year, the short-term financial rebalancing with the concessionaires and the creation of a model for the reimbursement of tickets.
According to the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Secretariat, aid to the airport sector reached BRL 2.8 billion (USD 531 million). «Last year, when we realized that the pandemic was going to be worse than September 11 for the sector, we anticipated, adopting several measures to maintain activities,» said Tarcísio, referring to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Legal security
At the closure of the Abdib 2021 Forum – Infrastructure for Green Recovery, which topic was «Challenges to move Brazil: Transport and logistics», the minister listed the initiatives to maintain investments, despite the health crisis and budget constraints. According to the public servant, today Brazil cannot invest in infrastructure without transferring assets to the private sector.
“We are able to demonstrate to the market that there is legal security with the reluctance that we are going to make this year, as in the case of Presidente Dutra, and very clearly with the measures adopted in the air sector during the pandemic. It is a demonstration that we have the ability to deal with extraordinary situations, that our contracts have the flexibility to deal with exceptional issues. This provides legal security to investors,” said Gomes de Freitas.
“The president assumed the responsibility and did not discontinue projects, he maintained a program of investment societies, the portfolio of projects, the auctions that were being structured … We are investing a lot in the long-term logistics plan, which will be the main driver of investments . One of the greatest risks in the public sector is the risk of discontinuity,” he concluded.
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