Pinto Luz Faces Scrutiny with Calm Amid Cascais Investigation

Pinto Luz Responds to Investigative Scrutiny

Miguel Pinto Luz, the current Minister of Infrastructure, expressed tranquility regarding the ongoing investigation into the Cascais City Hall. He emphasized that he has not yet been contacted by authorities since the searches began, focusing on alleged favoritism towards a real estate company.

"Yesterday, justice worked. Therefore, it is with enormous tranquility and normality that we, political actors, must coexist with this scrutiny."

Pinto Luz, who served for 20 years in the Cascais municipality, affirmed that his team operated with the "superior interests" of the population as their main premise. He views the investigation as an opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings surrounding the sale of land for a hotel in an ecological reserve.

Key Points of the Investigation

Pinto Luz stated:

• "I am confident that the truth will come to light, and I will have the opportunity to explain myself. But I have not been contacted or sought out; I only know from the media."
• He mentioned that the Cascais City Hall sold an 800-square-meter plot for a price significantly above existing valuations, although the hotel was not built on that specific land as it lacked construction capacity.
• The land was described as a "national ecological reserve", and the hotel structure does not occupy any of that territory. Pinto Luz clarified that the sold land represents only "five percent of the total operation" and is part of the hotel garden.
• He insisted that during his tenure, he held no financial or property-related responsibilities and expressed solidarity with the decisions made by his team.
• Regarding tax exemptions for the five-star hotel, he stated:

  "I don’t know what you are talking about. The exemptions are under a public, transparent municipal regulation."

The Judiciary Police conducted searches in Cascais and Lisbon, following a criminal complaint against political leaders in Cascais, including President Carlos Carreiras and Pinto Luz himself, concerning the sale of municipal land for the construction of the Hilton Hotel and approximately 120 luxury apartments.