A Step Toward Institutional Transparency
According to reports from Infobae, the official HCDN website, and Diario Neuquino, legislators from both the ruling party and the opposition reached a consensus to advance parliamentary oversight of the privatization process in a climate of dialogue and without conflict.
The Bicameral Commission for State Reform and Monitoring of Privatizations, chaired by libertarian senator Pablo Cervi (Neuquén) and vice-chaired by Kirchnerist deputy Ana María Ianni (Santa Cruz), approved on August 12, 2026 the final version of eight requests for information to be sent to the national Executive Branch.
What is the Ley Bases and which companies are involved?
The Ley Bases (Bases Law), enacted in mid-2024, enables the total or partial privatization of strategic state-owned enterprises. The information requests cover processes involving AySA (Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos, the national water utility), Nucleoeléctrica Argentina (NASA) (nuclear energy operator), Belgrano Cargas (freight rail), Intercargo (airport ground services), Corredores Viales (highway corridors), Energía Argentina (Enarsa) (state energy company), and Yacimientos Carboníferos Río Turbio (YCRT) (coal mining).
Details of the Requests
The Executive Branch will have 15 business days to respond to the congressional inquiries. Deputy Ianni explained that the requests aim to obtain basic information to exercise control over public assets and strategic sectors. Among the data requested are:
- Technical, economic, and legal reports, as well as complete case files.
- Methodology used to evaluate and appraise the companies, and the officials responsible.
- Status of services, service conditions, and territorial impact.
- Employment situation and continuity of technical teams.
Diego Chaher Summoned to Congress
The main novelty of the meeting was the agreement to summon Diego Chaher, head of the Public Enterprises Transformation Agency, an entity under the Ministry of Economy. His appearance, which promises to be an intense but constructive debate, is expected to take place during the first week of September 2026.
Chaher will need to explain the progress of the program, valuations, sale or concession mechanisms, and the conditions that private parties must meet. Additionally, Deputy Ianni requested that the president of the National Appraisals Tribunal, Julio Villamonte, appear in the coming weeks to provide explanations.
A Commitment to Oversight
Senator Cervi welcomed the discussion and stated that the Commission is committed to ensuring transparency in the processes. Having reliable and up-to-date information will allow the process to be validated and guarantee the transparency that Argentine society deserves in the administration of its state assets.