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The financing of the Metro also emerged as a significant issue. Initially budgeted at €1.3 billion, an expansion of the project pushed costs to over €2 billion. Unfortunately, subsidies did not keep pace with the rising budget, leading to increased borrowing and an unsustainable debt level for the Porto Metro Company (MTP).
An infamous financial deal with Santander Bank in 2007, labeled as "the worst trade of all time" by critics, compounded the agency's financial woes. The deal's variable interest terms led the Metro into a cycle of crippling debt, further exacerbated by the global financial crisis. It wasn't until 2023 that the Portuguese state intervened, effectively wiping the slate clean with a debt-equity swap, allowing the MTP to begin anew.