Buenos Aires, April 3 (NA) — The deputy of the Civic Coalition, Mónica Frade, filed a criminal complaint to investigate whether there were irregularities and conflicts of interest in the granting of loans by the National Bank to officials and legislators of the ruling coalition. In recent days, it was reported that officials Juan Pablo Carreira, Pedro Inchauspe, Felipe Nuñez, Federico Furiase, Emiliano Mongilardi, and libertarian deputies Mario Campero, Lorena Villaverde, and Alejandro Bongiovanni received loans between 100 and 500 million from the National Bank. In her presentation to the Justice, Frade stated that, given the extensive public information that has appeared in different graphic, radio, and television media, regarding thousands of loans granted by the National Bank of Argentina, which could be the result of irregular and even criminal activities, I come to request that this criminal investigation be initiated. However, legislators Campero and Bongiovanni rejected the accusation and stated that they did not receive preferential treatment and met the requirements to access that loan. Frade indicated that according to the information that emerged, Carreira from the Official Response Office (ORO) received 113 million, Inchauspe from the Central Bank and Núñez from BICE obtained 510 million pesos each, and the Secretary of Finance, Furiase, 376 million Pesos. To this list are added the deputies Alejandro Bongiovanni, with 322 million, Mariano Campero, with 340 million, Santiago Santurio with 225 million pesos, and Lorena Villaverde. In her complaint, to which the Argentine News Agency had access, Frade requested to issue an Office to the National Bank of Argentina and/or a presentation order, in order to obtain the complete 'credit files' of those named herein and any other public official and/or legislator. Also, 'obtain the Board Minutes through which the operations with the beneficiaries were approved' and request the body of expert accountants of the National Justice, 'the determination of the existence or not of economic damages for the granting bank, of any nature'. She also asked the National Bank to report 'if there were preferential conditions in the granting, be it in rates, terms or conditions according to the usual practice of the Bank'. She also asks to determine if there was a 'violation of the Organic Charter and credit procedure manuals' and if there was 'any hierarchical or, of any other nature, relationship between the grantor and the beneficiaries'. MARIANO CAMPERO REPLIES The libertarian deputy Mariano Campero stated that the complaint is 'malicious' because 'it is not a discretionary or exceptional credit, but a mortgage line in UVAs (Value Acquisition Units) open to any Argentine citizen who qualifies'. He pointed out that both 'the number of the credit, as the bank that granted it and the certification or supporting documentation are public. Anyone can verify it'. He specified that at the time of obtaining the loan last May it was for $275 million and 'with that money, I bought our first family home, in the city of Yerba Buena. Before, we rented with my wife and my three children'.
