At the multilateral and bilateral level, attempts will be made to prevent Argentina from charging a toll on the waterway. Next week two meetings are planned to re-establish a position against the provision. Paraguay alleges that the neighboring government failed to comply with the steps prior to making the decision.
The president of the River Ship Owners Center, Juan Carlos Muñoz, expressed his concern about the intention of the Argentine Government to charge a toll to the vessels.
“When we found out, we asked for a meeting with the Foreign Ministry, two courses of action were decided, multilaterally, with the Waterway Agreement Commission that has been in force since June 1992, and another in the bilateral sphere, that meeting was held last Thursday”, commented Muñoz in communication with radio Universo 970 – Nación Media.
On the last occasion, Paraguay made a long statement about its disagreement with the measure, alleging that the requirements of the agreement were not met. The first, a consultation, the second, a palpable description of the service and the rate to be applied.
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New questions were raisedbilateral meetings on November 2 and 4, without prejudice to the fact that later it has to be taken to the multilateral sphere.
Nevertheless, Paraguay requested an extension of any determination in this regard. In addition, some contacts are also planned at the political level. “I am convinced that something can be achieved,” he opined.
Also read: The Foreign Ministry will do everything possible to avoid tolls on the waterway
According to the National Foreign Ministry, if the new toll is applied, the direct cost to producers will be $30 million to $40 million.
For his part, the President of the Republic, Mario Abdo Benítez, considered that the establishment of a toll on the Argentine section of the Paraguay-Paraná waterway is not in line with the aspirations of the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) to have a common strategy to be more competitive.
