Argentina’s Senate approved the nationalization of Aerolineas Argentinas and its subsidiary on Wednesday, moving to return the financially troubled Spanish-owned airlines to state hands.
The 46-21 vote in favor of the takeover of Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral airlines was the final step in making the nationalization law. Argentina’s lower house approved the measure last month, which requires that the state hold a majority of company shares.
The text approved by the lawmakers after more than 11 hours of debate states that Argentina “will proceed in the rescue” of the airline to guarantee commercial air travel to the public. Congress will now set the purchasing price for the airlines.
PHOTO: EPA
Aerolineas Argentinas has been in Spanish hands for nearly two decades. Since 2001, the airline has been owned by Spanish travel conglomerate Grupo Marsans. The firm is struggling with financial woes and labor conflicts and has an estimated US$900 million debt.
Some Argentines celebrated in the streets of Buenos Aires on hearing of the vote, many holding up inflatable planes.
But the opposition has questioned the government’s decision to take on the airline before it has resolved the debt and labor issues.
“There are some who would not permit the payment of a single cent for Aerolineas Argentinas,” Senator Ernesto Ricardo Sanz told Union Civic Radial radio.
Government supporters responded that financial considerations come secondary to providing a public service.
“A public entity doesn’t always have to make money, although that’s ideal,” Congressman Ariel Basteiro said.
Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral together account for about 85 percent of domestic air traffic.
ANNOUNCEMENT: People who do not comply with the ban after a spoken warning would be reported to the police, the airport company said on Friday Taoyuan International Airport Corp on Friday announced that riding on vehicles, including scooter-suitcases (also known as “scootcases”), bicycles, scooters and skateboards, is prohibited in the airport’s terminals. Those using such vehicles should manually pull them or place them on luggage trolleys, the company said in a Facebook post. The ban intends to maintain order and protect travelers’ safety, as the airport often sees large crowds of people, it said, adding that it has stepped up publicity for the regulation, and those who do not comply after a spoken warning would be reported to the police. The company yesterday said that
QUIET START: Nearly a week after applications opened, agencies did not announce or promote the program, nor did they explain how it differed from other visitor visas Taiwan has launched a six-month “digital nomad visitor visa” program for foreign nationals from its list of visa-exempt countries who meet financial eligibility criteria and provide proof of work contracts. To apply, foreign nationals must either provide proof that they have obtained a digital nomad visa issued by another country or demonstrate earnings based on age brackets, the Bureau of Consular Affairs said. Applicants aged 20 to 29 must show they earned an annual salary of at least US$20,000 or its equivalent in one of the past two years, while those aged 30 or older must provide proof they earned US$40,000 in
NEW YEAR’S ADDRESS: ‘No matter what threats and challenges Taiwan faces, democracy is the only path,’ William Lai said, urging progress ‘without looking back’ President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday urged parties across the political divide to democratically resolve conflicts that have plagued domestic politics within Taiwan’s constitutional system. In his first New Year’s Day address since becoming president on May 20 last year, Lai touched on several issues, including economic and security challenges, but a key emphasis was on the partisan wrangling that has characterized his first seven months in office. Taiwan has transformed from authoritarianism into today’s democracy and that democracy is the future, Lai said. “No matter what threats and challenges Taiwan faces, democracy is the only path for Taiwan,” he said. “The only choice
UNITY MESSAGE: Rather than focusing on what Trump said on the campaign trail about Taiwan, Taipei should be willing to engage with the US, Pompeo said Taiwan plays a key role in Washington’s model of deterrence against China, former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said in a speech in Taipei yesterday. During US president-elect Donald Trump’s first term, “we had developed what we believe was a pretty effective model of deterrence against adversaries who wanted to undermine the set of rules and values that the people of Taiwan and the people of the US hold dear,” Pompeo said at a forum organized by the Formosa Republican Association. “Succeeding in continuing to build this model will not solely rest at the feet of president Trump and his team,
RSS