MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur court looms again

Uruguay plans to carry the Argentine environmentalists' roadblocks dispute back to the international courts

According to yesterday's press statements by Reinaldo Gargano, the Uruguayan foreign minister, President Tabare Vazquez's administration plans to file new complaints with the court of the Mercosur trade bloc arguing that the roadblocks contradict the mandate of the regional union. Uruguay claims previous pickets cost it 400 million dollars.

Argentines angered by the construction of a paper pulp mill in Uruguay, across the River Uruguay from the city of Gualeguaychu, in Entre Rios province, returned to blocking the main international highway last weekend after several months without protests ? in spite of attempts by the Argentine government to dissuade them.

This past weekend, Argentine environmental groups from Gualeguaychu once again set up roadblocks stopping the flow of traffic on one of three crossings between the two countries. The Argentine government warned against the protests, saying that the action would harm Argentina's pending case before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Argentina argues that the construction of pulp mills goes against a treaty that both countries signed in 1975.

One of the government officials who attempted to convince the environmentalists not to block the international San Martin bridge last week was Romina Picolotti, the environment secretary. Prior to joining the government in June, Picolotti headed the CEDHA environmental pressure group and gave legal advice to the protesters.

CEDHA is now headed by Daniel Taillant, a lawyer and Picolotti's husband. Late on Tuesday night, Taillant met with the environmentalists and encouraged them to continue the roadblocks. "CEDHA will support roadblocks and other methods" of protest, he said during a meeting of the Environmental Assembly of Gualeguaychu.

"What is being argued in The Hague has "nothing to do with Mercosur," he added. He then surprised the assembly by saying that his wife "is your representative."

The protesters celebrated in recent weeks when Spanish firm ENCE announced its decision to relocate its cellulose plant from Fray Bentos but workers of the firm went on strike in Spain yesterday to denounce possible layoffs stemming from the project's uncertain future. The plant currently under construction is owned by Finnish company Botnia.

If Montevideo effectively goes through with its plans to file claims against Argentina at a Mercosur court, it would be the second time it had done so. On the previous occasion, Argentina was rebuked but not ordered to pay compensation.