Argentina
Clash in the Chaco Legislature Over a Bill on Judicial Salaries
Deputy Santiago Pérez Pons linked the initiative to an alleged attempt to secure judicial protection for the ruling coalition. Ruling-party lawmakers rejected that accusation and defended compliance with salary rulings.
The debate over the bill on judicial salary protection triggered a strong clash in the Chaco Legislature, according to Perfil. Deputy Santiago Pérez Pons questioned the initiative promoted by the government of Leandro Zdero and said it could be aimed at obtaining judicial protection in the face of complaints involving officials and ruling-party leaders.
According to Perfil, the lawmaker based that interpretation on two cases: the dismissal of the case over municipal investments in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and a contract to modernize the Provincial Tax Administration. In that context, he also criticized the Executive for promoting a salary adjustment for magistrates while, he said, it maintains restrictions for other state workers.
Pérez Pons also warned that the bill could create a “desenganche” for judicial employees and other agencies with equivalent salaries, with the risk of new lawsuits against the province. Regarding the investigation linked to municipal funds from Sáenz Peña placed in the Chaco Stock Exchange, he questioned the closing of the case and said he would seek to overturn it. The Prosecutor’s Office, Perfil recalled, concluded that the transactions did not constitute a crime and had not caused patrimonial damage.
According to the remarks cited by Perfil, the deputy also linked his suspicions to a contract worth $34,000 million to modernize the ATP. He said a consultancy had already been paid $1,800 million for a report and that the subsequent process would favor the same group. In that line, he argued that opposition complaints halted the award.
Another of his claims was that the Economy minister remains on leave from a position in the Judicial Branch and could be affected by a future regulation if he returned to that role. Perfil clarified that this was a warning by the deputy about a possible effect of the rule and not a benefit already granted.
From the ruling coalition, Zulema Wannesson rejected his statements and said the lawmaker mixed up issues and distorted the salary background. She defended the view that rulings must be complied with regarding those who were parties to those proceedings and proposed that the bill continue to be debated in committee together with magistrates, officials and unions, taking into account the provincial budget situation.
For his part, Edgardo Reguera came out in defense of Mayor Bruno Cipolini and of the prosecutor’s criteria regarding municipal investments. According to Perfil, he said the dismissal was due to the lack of elements to move forward and the absence of damage to public assets. He also questioned Pérez Pons’ standing to appeal and warned about possible liability for false accusations.
Sources
Sobre esta nota. Written by El Notero with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
