TAP privatization does not go to Parliament – Economy

Government admits PPP for student accommodation and says that reconversion of 5 de Outubro is not viable

After a long period of voting on the amendment proposals and the articles of the State Budget proposal (OE) for 2025, the discussion resumes with the topics defined for today, including student accommodation.

The Assistant Secretary of State for Education admits that implementation rates for accommodation for higher education students “are very low” and admits that the Government “can see itself in some of the amendment proposals” presented on the topic, namely for the creation of public-private partnerships (PPP) in student accommodation.

“We expected to be further along than we are today. A lot of time was wasted. We have to have 18 thousand (beds) by 2026, we have a long way to go”, said Alexandre Homem Cristo.

According to the Secretary of State, an important process that is long overdue is the conversion of the former headquarters of the Ministry of Education, on Avenida 5 de Outubro (in Lisbon), into student accommodation.

“It is the most difficult process we are dealing with. It was scheduled to open in 2025 and nothing has progressed. The deadlines were dragging on and at this point the funds from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) are no longer viable“, these.

Due to the type of building, which does not have an anti-seismic structure, and the delays, Alexandre Homem Cristo admitted that the conversion of the building into student accommodation, with an investment of 30 million euros, is “particularly difficult and very expensive”.

“Without PRR, the alternative is (funds from) OE”, he said, questioning whether allocating funds from the State Budget (therefore, taxes) are “a good investment“, since, with this amount, he considered, it would be possible to “build many more beds in the center of Lisbon”.

“This particular building is not set up for student accommodation“, he lamented.

In this sense, the Secretary of State said that the government is talking to all partners – Lisbon Chamber and possible PPP partnerships in this area -, but highlighted that “At this time there are no conditions to move forward with this project, given the delays associated“.