Economy Minister Hernán Lorenzino speaks at the Upper House of Congress.
The draft bill ordering City Hall to honour its agreement with the National Government and accept the transfer of the subway management, as well as 33 bus lines and the Puerto Madero tram, was approved by three committees after a very heated debate and will be voted on the Senate floor on March 21st.
The bill was drafted by Victory Front senators and others who supported the measure, such as Samuel Cabanchik, from the Proyecto Buenos Aires Federal party, who said he was partially in favour of it.
Inevitably, the Once railway tragedy found its way to the debate, prompting Kirchnerite and opposition officials to strongly clash on the floor.
Earlier, the Senate Constitutional Affairs, Infrastructure and Budget Committees debated the bill presented by President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner over the subway and 33 bus line transfer to the Buenos Aires City administration.
Planning Minister Julio De Vido, Economy Minister Hernán Lorenzino and the new Transport Secretary were heading the meeting.
The Budget, Infrastructure and Constitutional Affairs committees are gathered to debate this particular issue. The pro-government bloc is willing to approve it so it can be debated at the floor next week.
Economy Minister Hernán Lorenzino assured at the Upper House of Congress that “only 15 percent” of the Buenos Aires subway passengers need “the subsidy.”
The minister also affirmed that the City has “enough resources to face” the transfer from the National Government.
De Vido also defended the bill while he harshly criticized Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri, and demanded that he should be in charge of the buses and also maintain the subsidies in order to avoid the hike in the price of the bus ticket to $4.44 pesos.
buenosairesherald.com