Laura Fernandez asked the deputies of the National Liberation Party (PLN) to speed up the process of two bills in the final stretch of work in the Legislative Assembly, with only nine days left for the current congressmen to finish their term.
This was stated by the Minister of the Presidency and president-elect at the lunch where she was received by the liberationist benchwhich was attended by 12 of the 18 green and white congressmen.
Fernández addressed the Liberación congressmen, in front of the press, to tell them that there is enough time to even approve in plenary the credit for $880 million with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) for the construction of the fast passenger train (TRP).
Additionally, the Minister of the Presidency asked them to advance the project to authorize the open pit metal mining in Crucitas de Cutris, San Carlos, at least with the processing of the second day of substantive motions.
On the first day of substantive motions, already processed by the Alajuela Commission, 155 motions were heard, mostly proposals from the Frente Amplio (FA). The second day is pending, where the Frente Amplistas would present as many motions.
In fact, Fernández acknowledged that the liberationist deputy Paulina Ramírez, president of the Treasury Commission of the Legislative Assembly, has been leading a substantive, mature and technical discussion in the processing of the credits requested by the Executive Branch and by her, in mid-February.
Even at this Monday’s meeting, the president-elect thanked the liberationists for the approval in their two debates of another international loan, also with CABEI, for the expansion of route 1, in the San José San Ramón section, and which will be signed this Tuesday to become a law of the Republic.
Laura Fernández assured that the credit for the train could well be decided this week and be on the plenary agenda next Monday, for voting in the first debate and that the second debate will take place before the congressmen finish their functions, on April 28.
When the minister was making that comment, Paulina Ramírez interrupted her to assure that the ruling on that loan is scheduled for this Wednesday, in the ordinary session of the Tax Commissioners Commission.
Laura Fernández met with the PLN
Agreement on Crucitas?
In statements after the meeting with the PLN faction, Laura Fernández said that she had reached an agreement with the liberationist deputies on the Executive Branch’s project to legalize mining extraction in Crucitas, but the head of Liberación, Óscar Izquierdo, said that is not so.
“There is a commitment from National Liberation to help advance the project on Crucitas, vital for the country, in these nine days,” said the future president.
Contrary to what Fernández said, Izquierdo emphasized that his party has some reservations regarding the mining project in Crucitas and also with the expropriation reform.
In both files, there is a proposal for a substitute text raised by the government of the Republic, so the PLN spokesperson stated that they must first analyze these new texts and wait for the reactions of the other political stores.
“What is certain is that we already gave clear signs, in the Alajuela Commission, that we are not hindering the project and we did not present a large number of motions,” he indicated.
