Senate preliminary approves subway service transfer bill

The Upper House preliminary approved the bill that seeks to transfer the subway service administration to the City. The Senators were debating each article and some of the senators who voted in favour of the motion would express certain concerns. The session will later debate the bill that seeks to reform the Central Bank’s charter.

The bill ratifies the accord signed by the National and City Governments to transfer the subway service administration, following Mayor Mauricio Macri’s refusal to accept it and stressing the fact that President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner should hand over a thousand million pesos for infrastructure.

The bill was sent to Congress by the National Government and also includes the transfer of 33 bus lines. The subway transfer has caused a serious rift between the National and City Governments, with crossed accusations and increasingly tense relations.

Earlier, the Senate approved today the designation of former-Mendoza province governor Celso Jaque to be the new Argentine Ambassador to Colombia and the promotion of Carlos Paz to Navy Commander-in-chief during the first part of today's session.

The former governor, who was replaced by Francisco Pérez following 2011’s October election, will fill the position previously taken up by Martín Balza, representing Argentina in Colombia. 

Afterward, the national senators approved the Admiral Carlos Paz to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, who in December replaced Jorge Godoy, after he was prosecuted for carrying out cases of espionage at Trelew naval base.

The Upper House session began just after midday and will later debate the government-sponsored Central Bank charter reform in the floor session, expected to be approved and made law.

The subway transfer bill, passing the control of the transport line from the national government to the city government, is also to be debated.