For the Casa Rosada, the meeting with the governors for the 2025 Budget was in “a good atmosphere”

“It was a good meeting, in a good atmosphere”described government sources, and assured that both Caputo and the Secretary of Finance Carlos Guberman, also present at the meeting, “were presenting the Budget, with more detail and a very thorough analysis.” Beforehand, the governors had made their complaints heard regarding the additional adjustment that Javier Milei He asked them on Sunday night from the premises of the Chamber of Deputieswhich was estimated at $60 billion; the provinces also raised their voices regarding missing items in the project, especially funds linked to public works.

From the national administration they mentioned that each province spoke about its specific situation. Entre Ríos native Rogelio Frigerio He brought up tax issues, the Maximiliano Pullaro from Santa Fe He again complained about the financing of the non-transferred pension funds. “Beyond that, the result was good and there was consensus on the need to eliminate the deficit. Everyone agreed to move forward with a scheme without a fiscal deficit. To generate a model that is sustainable,” they said in offices at Balcarce 50, where they considered the public complaints settled. However, There will be bilateral meetings between national officials and each governor.

“The dialogue with the governors is constant and fluid. They all spoke and each one put their issues on the table. There was no situation of strong complaint that stopped the meeting,” they reported to the Government.

The economic ministry explained to the provincial leaders that the adjustment of $60 billion, which Milei announced on national television, is not mandatory. “It is not a one-year plan. It is a goal,” they said.

One of the issues that leaves a shadow of doubt in the provinces is that the governors know that the Government has no problem in adjusting the provinces. The biggest adjustment this year was in transfers to the provinces and public worksAnd by 2025, they will also have a significant cut. “They will have no choice but to adjust. The start of bilateral meetings will be the space they will have to negotiate, especially on the eve of an election year where the government wants to get more seats,” they confided in Casa Rosada.

But they also told me from the ranks of PRO legislators that it is important to “have interlocutors who guarantee compliance with what has been agreed,” in reference to the internal conflict between Francos and Santiago Caputowhich was exposed by the differences surrounding the decree on the right of access to public information.

Participants

They participated in the meeting in person Rogelio Frigerio (Entre Rios) and Hugo Passalacqua (Misiones), together with his Minister of Finance, Adolfo Safran.

Meanwhile, they did it by video call Raul Jalil (Catamarca), Leandro Zdero (Chaco), Ignacio Torres (Chubut), Carlos Sadir (Jujuy), Alfredo Cornejo (Mendoza), Alberto Weretilneck (Black River), Gustavo Saenz (Jump), Marcelo Orrego (Saint John), Claudio Poggi (Saint Louis), Claudio Vidal (Santa Cruz), Maximilian Pullaro (Santa Fe), Gerardo Zamora (Santiago del Estero), Osvaldo Jaldo (Tucuman) and Sergio Ziliotto (The Pampas).

At the same time, representing the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA), was the Chief of Staff of the Buenos Aires government, Nestor Grindettiand the vice-governor joined from Córdoba, Myrian Prunotto. The Minister of Finance of Corrientes, Marcelo Rivaswas present representing his province; while the Minister of Economy, Production and Industry, represented Neuquén, Guillermo Koenig.