Carlos Galvan
04/28/2021 21:42
Clarín.com
Politics
Updated 04/28/2021 9:44 PM
At the
time that
the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway concession
expires
- it
concludes this Friday 30
-, on Wednesday night the Executive Power extended its concession, according to
official sources
informed
Clarín
.
The extension is for a
period of 90 days
and was provided in a resolution that was signed by the Minister of Public Works Gabriel Katopodis, who was temporarily in charge of the Transportation portfolio while the name of the successor of the late Mario Meoni was defined.
The extension was to be made by presidential decree.
But when Katopodis was temporarily in charge of Transportation,
the signature was delegated
to him to issue the resolution.
Minister of Public Works, Gabriel Katopodis.
The decision of the Executive Power is known in the midst of the offensive of the ruling Senate bench to
nationalize this navigable route, the
exit door for 80% of Argentine exports.
But the government is heading full throttle in another direction.
In the resolution signed on Wednesday night by Katopodis, it is stated that the Ministry of Transport can "adopt the necessary measures in order to guarantee the continuity of navigation of the main waterway until the awardees of the
new call for tenders
assume the operation of such services ".
Likewise, the pressure from key members of the Instituto Patria, the ruling Senate bench, which
does not move without the endorsement
of Cristina Kirchner, continues to advance in another scheme.
They argue that it is a
historic opportunity
for the State to "regain" control of the Hidrovía.
José Mayans, head of the Upper House's Frente de Todos bloc,
spoke in recent days
with Sergio Massa, president of the Chamber of Deputies.
Also with Máximo Kirchner, head of the Kirchnerist bloc of Deputies.
The Formosan senator conveyed to both that "
the bloc is against"
the scheme in which a concession would be advanced to a private company - as up to now - but with the novelty of greater control of the State.
What the senators want is for the Hidrovía to be directly managed by the State and for it to be the one that collects the tolls from the ships.
The current rate is around
$ 3 per ton of cargo
they carry.
In total,
the business has a turnover of more than 300 million dollars per year
, according to official sources.
In addition to senators, there are also provinces with interests in the Hidrovía that are
pressing
for a
fundamental
change in the current scheme.
This is the case of the government of Axel Kicillof.
Toll
A minister of a province that encourages that the Hidrovía pass into the hands of the State pointed out:
"The control of the collection of the toll is central
.
"
And he explained that what they propose is to outsource the dredging, marking and signaling of the inland waterway.
"It would be like when you tender the garbage collection service and the State charges and pays for the service,"
said that official.
In that province they also maintain that what has been agreed so far would be precisely that, that the State collect the tolls.
But in the Casa Rosada, other governorates and in the massismo - the recently deceased Minister of Transportation Mario Meoni responded to Sergio Massa - they repeat that
progress will be made in a new tender.
"It is an exclusive decision of the President.
Alberto wants to tender,
" they told
Clarín
in the Executive Power.
And they completed: "
The sectors that propose the opposite have neither interference nor weight
.
"
The same sources said that the "
balance"
in the ruling coalition
will be maintained
and that the Ministry of Transport will remain under the control of massismo.
Sergio Massa with the late Minister Mario Meoni.
Cereal companies and export companies resist the state collecting tolls.
They maintain that with the current scheme the concessionaire has funds to carry out the necessary works.
"What the companies say is that with the State the
bureaucratic obstacles
would be great and the works would be delayed," they trusted a province in the interior.
Among the sectors that encourage the State to collect the toll, they argue that in this way what is transported will be known in detail and
evasion would be avoided
.
"
It would be like a customs control
,
"
said a defender of nationalization.
What nobody is talking about at the moment is changing the current toll flat rate scheme.
The concession has been in the hands of the consortium formed by the Belgian Jan de Nul and the local Emepa for 25 years.
According to reports, Jan de Nul would not maintain its partnership with Emepa in the future tender.
Its owner, Gabriel Romero, declared in court as repentant in the cause of the bribery notebooks and would be a "burden" for the Belgians.
Although the specifications for the new tender have yet to be defined, there is
pressure
from shipping companies and grain companies to deepen the draft of the Paraná River and take it from the current 34 to 38 or even 40 feet.
The greater depth would allow Panamax-class supercarriers to navigate.
Look also
Concern of 13 entities for the future of the Hidrovía 10 days after the tender expires
With the endorsement of Cristina, block K of the Senate tries to stop a new concession of the Hidrovía
