The list, which now includes Ota, Rio Frio or Sintra, will soon be cut back with the “finalists” to be announced on Thursday.

The options began with five, grew to seven, then nine and now jumps to 17. According to a report by ECO, the list of strategic options to reinforce the airport capacity of the Lisbon region now also includes Ota, Rio Frio or Poceirão, which were already considered in the past, and Apostiça, Évora, Sintra, Tancos and Pegões.

The new increase results from the proposals that were proposed through the Aeroparticipa.pt website, created by the technical commission responsible for the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to listen to citizens. "We received more than 700 proposals, of which we retained eight, which were the ones that had information for us to consider", said Rosário Partidário, who chairs the commission, in statements to ECO.

The provisional list will be shortened. On Thursday, CTI is organizing a conference in the auditorium of the National Civil Engineering Laboratory (LNEC) where it will present the technical-scientific feasibility criteria adopted, as well as the “finalist” options based on the application of these criteria.

The “race” to the future location of the airport began with five options advanced by the Government in the launch of the new SEA. They were the maintenance of Portela in conjunction with Montijo, in versions as a main or secondary airport, a new infrastructure at Campo de Tiro de Alcochete, Santarém and Portela plus Santarém.

CTI added Beja and Portela+Alverca airport at the end of January, after the projects had been presented. On April 8, the Monte Real Air Base was added and, at the initiative of the technical commission, Alcochete+Portela.

Rosário Partidário makes a positive assessment of the consultation process with citizens. “By the end of the year we are going to come up with a solution that had already been discussed or even a new one, what is certain is that something that has not happened so far will happen, which is having a participatory process. In total we received around 27,000 contributions”, she revealed.

“Not only did people speak up, they added suggestions and raised questions. It allows us to have an understanding of what people think” about locations, says the general coordinator of CTI. “We have received many expressions of support for having such an open and transparent process”, she emphasized.