After the publication this week of a new decree (DNU 280/24), the Government cut the transfers that the ANSES made to the retirement funds of 13 provinces, which motivated the complaint of several governors. This Saturday, the Minister of the Interior,
Guillermo Francos,
came out to deny this cut.
"
The items are there, they were reassigned to provincial items
. There are two historical problems, the stock of debt that is not the responsibility of this government. They are debts contracted many years ago, of an amount that is difficult to clarify because there are pending audits," Francos remarked.
"There are some provinces that owe and there are other provinces that are owed. But to clarify and not make a snowball with an issue that is not real, the monetary items that were in the 2023 budget, which is the one that was extended this year and whose items were updated now, are, that is, with nomination differences,
but the amounts are planned
," clarified the national official in dialogue with the program "Sábado tempranísimo" on radio
Miter
.
When asked if the money that was planned for the pension funds will go through other items, Francos responded: "Exactly, there are other items. The only thing that is under discussion, and that has always been under discussion, is what they are. the amounts to be transferred, which is what is difficult."
Guillermo Francos with governors Rogelio Frigerio and Osvaldo Jaldo. Photo: Federico López Claro
"The Nation owes several provincial funds, some have judicialized the issue and there are some protections planned, but what is not defined is the amount to be transferred. But let's stay calm about this," remarked the Minister of the Interior.
And just in case, he clarified that this situation has no links with the new agreements of the Casa Rosada with the governors: "It has nothing to do with the basic laws, with which many governors and legislators are in absolute agreement, because they are issues that to investments in Argentina, nor with the tax reforms that in general there are also agreements with the issues that are discussed there.
"What is legal, what is by law will not fail to be recognized. It's just that to pay it it has to be clear what is being paid, sometimes there are exaggerations of what is presented as a transfer demand. And it is It is an obligation of the public official who has to order the transfer to know what he is enabling," concluded the Minister of the Interior.
Guillermo Francos, Minister of the Interior of Javier Milei. Photo: Reuters/Agustín Marcarian
Pension funds: the affected provinces that claim Milei
In the group of provinces that did not transfer their pension funds to the Nation and should receive national funds, there are districts of all political stripes.
Peronists and allies include Buenos Aires, La Pampa and Tierra del Fuego; provincial ruling parties such as Córdoba, Misiones, Neuquén and Santa Cruz; and the former Junos for Change that still function as a unit to negotiate with Rosada, Chaco, Chubut, Corrientes and Santa Fe (JxC).
Since January, the Government had stopped transferring the million-dollar items to the provinces that had also complained to Alberto Fernández's management for updating the co-participable amounts with which the ANSES is financed.
On Wednesday, through the DNU, it eliminated articles 92, 93 and 94 of the 2023 Budget law - which is in force in the absence of a law for 2024 - and which obliged the Government to cover that difference before the 20th. of each month, a policy established during the administration of Mauricio Macri to settle a long judicial discussion between the Nation and the provinces.