Retirements of privilege in Justice: the debate begins in Deputies and Together for Change defines whether it will give quorum

Jasmine Bullorini

02/25/2020 - 19:55

• Clarín.com
• Politics

The Chamber of Deputies begins to formally debate this Wednesday in commissions the project that modifies the privilege retirements of judges and diplomats, an initiative that the Government intends to approve the next day at the premises. The Interblock Together for Change - with divided opinions - defines whether it will give a quorum.

The small table of JxC had to shorten the long weekend of Carnival and organized a meeting with advisors late on Friday to start discussing, indoors, what their position will be and analyze proposals for modifications to take to the plenary of commissions. The final decision will be taken this Wednesday at the full interblock meeting.

Although they are not in favor of "the privileges for some sectors of society", the holders of the three blocks -UCR, PRO and UCR- warn that they will not " enable an express debate " and insist on the risk that a "would generate" cataract of resignations "of judges. They do not even hesitate to frame the initiative within a decision of the Government to "attack" Justice.

"Beyond whether it is fair or not, here it is another decision to attack Justice. That is why we do not want an express treatment. We want Congress to be respected," said PRO block chief Cristian Ritondo. to Clarin.

In the same line was expressed the head of the Civic Coalition bench, Maximiliano Ferraro. "We must bear in mind the context. We are concerned and alert to the harassment that is taking place with justice and many of its members ... We cannot allow the emptying and / or taking of the Judiciary, " he wrote in his social networks .

An important part of the interblock proposes not to quorum, but another sector opposes that idea. "If we gave quorum for the Emergency Law, which was an adjustment to ordinary retirees, we cannot not give quorum to protect judges," they complain.

Counterpoints are in sight: the radical deputy Alejandro Cacace presented a project that directly eliminates special regimes for officials. The PRO legislator, Pablo Tonelli, presented another that maintains the privilege but raises the retirement age to 65 years and requires more time in the last position of the Judiciary.

To avoid mass resignations, some legislators propose incorporating a clause that protects magistrates who already meet the requirements for retirement . "That they are kept the possibility of retiring later but with the current current form," they say.

The ruling party does not have a majority of its own, but is confident that it will have the support of the Federal Unit interblock, chaired by Mendoza's José Luis Ramón, and at least one sector of the Federal Interblock legislators, led by the lavagnista Eduardo "Bali" Bucca .

However, all the opposition blocs called for changes and although from the Government the order had been to rush the project without modifications, in the Parliament the government negotiates.

A change they consider would be to create a "compensation fund" with extraordinary contributions from the workers. They also look for ways to propose that the Supreme Court "compensate" the ANSES - using its countercyclical fund of more than $ 40 billion - so that workers do not lose part of their income.

The Plenary of the Budget and Social Security and Social Security Commissions - which begins at 2pm - will be sent by the Government, the Minister of Labor, Claudio Moroni; the Secretary of Social Security, Luis Bulit Goñi; and the Director of ANSES, Alejandro Vanoli.

They will also exhibit Marcelo Tagle of the Association of Magistrates; Carlos Rívolo, of the Association of Prosecutors; Alberto Lugones, of the Council of the Magistracy; Julio Piumato, of the Union of Employees of Justice (UEJN) and Marieta Russo, of the Judicial Workers' Union (SITRAJU), among others.