Miguel Pinto Luz told the Lusa agency that “it is clear that the Government will comply with what was decided by the Assembly of the Republic”.

“In a democracy, this is how it has to be, there is no other way to do it.”

In May, Parliament approved the Socialist Party's bill to end tolls on the ex-Scut from 1 January, 2025.

The proposal covers interior highways or roads where there are no alternatives that allow quality and safe use.

The bill passed with votes in favour from PS, BE, PCP, Livre, Chega and PAN and the abstention of the Liberal Initiative (IL). PSD and CDS voted against.

Seven months later, and just a few days before the measure came into force, the Minister of Infrastructure recalled today that the government “already signalled that it was not in agreement with the solution”, but added that the State Budget for 2025 foresees “the funds to be channelled to Infraestruturas de Portugal due to the loss of revenue”.

A month ago, in the Assembly of the Republic, the same minister had classified the abolition of tolls on interior highways and without alternative routes as “unfair and poorly thought out”.

At the time, he announced his intention to carry out a national study on all tolls, without indicating a date or the entity responsible for the study.

The government official also added that the end of tolls on old motorways at no cost to the user “will cost the State around 180 million euros per year in lost revenue”, with between 20 and 25 percent of the vehicles that circulate on these roads “being foreigners".