PT uses shopping mall in Congonhas to reverse privatization – 10/18/2023 – Panel SA

Leroy Merlin, a construction materials retail chain, intends to build a shopping mall worth more than R$1.5 billion in the public area where the former Vasp operated at Congonhas airport.

Aena, the concessionaire that took over the airport this Tuesday (17), will receive revenue from the retail group for the use of the land over the 30 years of the contract.

However, PT deputies claim that the Leroy Merlin project was not fully considered in the privatization model, which could have increased the amount to be paid by Aena to the Union.

Anac (National Aviation Agency) denies this and reports that the revenues from the shopping center are included in the privatization modeling and were projected until 2052, something that appears in the Economic-Financial Assessment Report of Congonhas Airport.

Even so, parliamentarians linked to the government are preparing an addendum to include the Leroy Merlin shopping mall in the complaint recently made to the TCU (Federal Audit Court).

In it, the deputies question alleged losses to the treasury caused by contracts signed during the Jair Bolsonaro administration.

The technical opinion recommends a veto to the parliamentarians’ request. Behind the scenes, ministers from the court of accounts assess that the request is an attempt to use the court to strengthen Infraero, which was succeeded by Aena in the management of Congonhas.

The contract for the use of land in Congonhas was signed in 2017 for R$40 million, after the retailer won a bid. At the time, Infraero, a state-owned airport company, represented the airport.

Signing the representation to the TCU are PT deputies Alencar Braga, Alfredo Cavalcante, Carlos Zarattini, Nilto Tatto and Jilmar Tatto (all from SP); Paulo Guedes (MG), Rubens Gomide (GO), Vander Loubet (MS), among others.

When contacted, Leroy Merlin informs that Megahouses, the group responsible for the project, has started work on the project. The mall will feature a Leroy Merlin store. The rest will be rented to other retailers, restaurants, cinemas and other services.

Via consultancy, Aena states that it will honor the signed contract [pela Infraero]. “Rents and other monthly payments will be received by the new concessionaire from the airport’s transition date,” he said.

With Diego Felix

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