City gov’t says Subway not ‘our business’

Buenos Aires City Economy Minister Néstor Grindetti stated today that the Subway management is none of the City government’s business, and indicated that it is the national administration which must decide what to do as from January 2013 when all subsidies will be ground cut.

As the administration of President Cristina Fernández has ratified in the recently approved 2013 Budget its decision that all transferring of subsidy funds to the Subway and tram system will be cut on January 3, 2013, Grindetti said that the entire responsibility for a new fare price will fall on the national government.

“It’s none of our [City gov’t] business. The national government will have to take care of it [subway service], and decide what to do with the subsidies and the fare price in case they cut all funding.”

Mayor Macri had signed on January 3 this year an agreement with national authorities the transfer of the subway management to the City government. Thus, and promptly after the signing, Macri went ahead and conducted an outrageous fare hike of 120% taking it from $1.10 to $2.50 pesos.

The next chapter on the ongoing cross-fire between the two administrations came as all of the sudden the City government turned down the transfer and starting refusing and denying the agreement signed.