Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUENOSAIRES432
2009-04-13 16:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:
Argentina: Budget Transparency
how-toVZCZCXYZ0007 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBU #0432 1031627 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 131627Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3533 INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000432
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EFIN ECON PREL AR
SUBJECT: Argentina: Budget Transparency
Ref: State 028885
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000432
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EFIN ECON PREL AR
SUBJECT: Argentina: Budget Transparency
Ref: State 028885
1. (U) The following responds to Reftel questions on budget
transparency ("FY09 Prohibition on assistance to central governments
whose budgets are not transparent").
2. (SBU) The Government of Argentina (GoA) is scheduled to receive
FY 09 U.S. foreign assistance funds for IMET, INCLE, and NADR
programs.
3. (U) The GoA budget is publicly available online. The executive
branch sends its budget bill to the Argentine Congress for approval,
after which it is published in the Official Gazette and uploaded to
the Ministry of Economy website.
4. (U) The Federal Budget provides income and expenditure estimates
for the fiscal year (January 1 - December 31).
5. (SBU) In Post's estimation, the Argentine budget process is
fairly transparent and open, and suffices to meet the requirements
described in reftel. The GoA and Argentine Congress have met annual
deadlines for submitting and passing the budget for the last three
years. Some controversy has arisen in recent years resulting from
the GoA's use of "over-budget" revenues. Under current legislation,
the Chief of Cabinet is authorized to redistribute line-item
allocations prior to congressional approval if excess revenues
become available. Over the past five years, the GoA's budgeted
revenue estimates have consistently been significantly lower than
the year-end results, due to much higher real economic growth levels
than were included in the annual budgets. This has allowed the
government to exercise broad discretion over the distribution of
these over-budget funds. Nevertheless, the GoA has announced the
expenditure of these extra funds in a public and transparent manner:
via decree or administrative decision, all of which have been
published in the Official Gazette.
KELLY
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EFIN ECON PREL AR
SUBJECT: Argentina: Budget Transparency
Ref: State 028885
1. (U) The following responds to Reftel questions on budget
transparency ("FY09 Prohibition on assistance to central governments
whose budgets are not transparent").
2. (SBU) The Government of Argentina (GoA) is scheduled to receive
FY 09 U.S. foreign assistance funds for IMET, INCLE, and NADR
programs.
3. (U) The GoA budget is publicly available online. The executive
branch sends its budget bill to the Argentine Congress for approval,
after which it is published in the Official Gazette and uploaded to
the Ministry of Economy website.
4. (U) The Federal Budget provides income and expenditure estimates
for the fiscal year (January 1 - December 31).
5. (SBU) In Post's estimation, the Argentine budget process is
fairly transparent and open, and suffices to meet the requirements
described in reftel. The GoA and Argentine Congress have met annual
deadlines for submitting and passing the budget for the last three
years. Some controversy has arisen in recent years resulting from
the GoA's use of "over-budget" revenues. Under current legislation,
the Chief of Cabinet is authorized to redistribute line-item
allocations prior to congressional approval if excess revenues
become available. Over the past five years, the GoA's budgeted
revenue estimates have consistently been significantly lower than
the year-end results, due to much higher real economic growth levels
than were included in the annual budgets. This has allowed the
government to exercise broad discretion over the distribution of
these over-budget funds. Nevertheless, the GoA has announced the
expenditure of these extra funds in a public and transparent manner:
via decree or administrative decision, all of which have been
published in the Official Gazette.
KELLY