LISBON (Reuters) - The head of Portugal's TAP should focus on running the state-owned airline and not "meddle" in its privatisation, which is a matter for shareholders, Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz said on Tuesday.

In an interview with the Financial Times published earlier on Tuesday, TAP CEO Luis Rodrigues called on the government to maintain a stake in the flag carrier and said he expected the sell-off to start in earnest within months.

Rodrigues also defended the possibility of bringing in non-aviation investors to ease competition concerns.

"I agree that TAP CEO should focus on running the company and not meddle in shareholders' problems ... and TAP needs good management," Pinto Luz told reporters in Brussels.

The finance ministry did not respond to a request for comment and TAP said it had nothing to add to the Financial Times story.

Portugal's new centre-right minority government has pledged to carry out a long-planned privatisation of TAP, although it is not clear whether it will sell the whole company or a stake. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said during the election campaign he wanted TAP to be fully privatised.

The previous Socialist administration approved the sale of at least 51% of TAP last September, but the process has stalled.

TAP has attracted interest from Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and British Airways owner IAG.

(Reporting by Patrícia Vicente Rua; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Mark Potter)