'Gov't told us to reduce pension payments to get what they owe us,' De La Sota

After a conciliation hearing celebrated at the Supreme Court between the National Government and Córdoba province regarding a pension debt the latter claims, in which no agreement was reached, Governor José Manuel De La Sota bashed the administration of President Cristina fernández de Kirchner.

Thus, De La Sota explained in an afterwards press conference that "Córdoba did not attend today's audience by its own will. We were forced to reach out to this point as to see if there was any response from the national government. Unfortunately the two officials sent by the President just came to repeat a pre-made speech."

Likewise, the governor revealed that both Economy Minister, Hernán Lorenzino, and AnSes head, Diego Bossio, told him on behalf President Fernández de Kirchner that in order to see the debt honoured, "Our province should first lower all pensions and abandon the system by which córdoba grants all pensions' floor are equal to 82% of the national's minimum salary wage."    

"I told them there's no way we are going to do such a thing." 

"During the only meeting the President [Fernández de Kirchner] ever gave me, I remembered to her that we were willing to accept that advance payment, and furthermore I offered her to pay us the rest through a Banco Nación's loan as we didn't care paying the interests of the loan."

The court hearing began around 11:30am this morning, downtown Buenos Aires Supreme Court building.

The quarrel between the administration of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Córdoba province governor De La Sota took a public and unexpected turn when the national government run a TV spot during a football match halftime warning the province it would not cover its pension debts on August 20th, adding fuel to the controversy.