In a statement, ANAC said that "considering that article 5(3) of the Decree-Law stipulates that 'the absence of a favourable opinion from all the municipal councils of the potentially affected municipalities [...] constitutes grounds for an outright rejection', it follows that ANAC is obliged to reject the request outright, in compliance with the principle of legality and the binding command of the legislator contained in the aforementioned legal provision, with no technical assessment of the merit of the project".

ANAC highlights that "in the context of the instruction of the request, ANA attached, among other elements, opinions of the Municipal Councils of the potentially affected municipalities, either for clearance areas or for environmental reasons, the existence of two favourable opinions, two unfavourable and the failure to submit an opinion by one of the councils being noteworthy ".