MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentine court confirms phone calls to Falklands/Malvinas must be billed as domestic
A lawyer claimed that in December 2012 he contacted the Falklands' Tourism office and two local hotels, in the bill they figured as international calls Argentine justice confirmed that phone calls to the Falklands/Malvinas Islands must be billed as local calls and not long distance. Argentine telecoms companies Telefonica and Telecom said that this was normal procedure, however a client presented a “consumers' appeal” claiming a call to the Falklands had been labeled as international instead of domestic.
The ruling from a Buenos Aires Civil and Commercial court followed a demand presented by ill-tempered lawyer Enrique Giusti, who claimed that in December 2012 he contacted the Falklands' Tourism office and two local hotels, and although he was charged the domestic rate, in the bill they figured as international calls.
The fact is that despite Argentina's claim, internationally Falklands are considered UK jurisdiction, and thus it is a British telecoms company that makes the contacts.
The ruling said that the plaintiff argues Argentine Law has been violated by the conduct displayed by the defendant when labeling as international phone calls to the Malvinas Islands, because this contradicts directly what is expressed by the first transitory clause of the Argentine constitution.
Argentine media admits the issue is more symbolic than practical, since all Argentine telecom bill calls to the Falklands/Malvinas as domestic that is inside Argentine territory.
The plaintiff also demanded a “moral compensation” for the incorrect identification of the calls as international instead of domestic, but this was thrown out by the court.
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Read all commentsWhat a wanker, and more fool the court for letting it get that far. Moral compensation? Sounds like you just need to work a little harder Mr. Giusti; if you have time to waste like this you should do something worthwhile.
Jul 13th, 2017 - 09:20 am +5Implanted? The Falklanders are as 'implanted' as the Argentines. There is no such thing, and, in any case, the right to self-determination does not include any exceptions - implanted or otherwise.
Jul 13th, 2017 - 05:13 pm +5Maybe they should also remove the 'international' from 'Rio Gallegos International Airport' at the same time :)
Jul 13th, 2017 - 10:14 am +4I had the misfortune to find myself travelling by bus past Rio Gallegos a few weeks ago ( PA to Orsorno )..... the bus skirted the western fringe of the town.....what a dump.... the scruff edge of Bariloche was no better and Piedrabuena still had election posters from about 2010 all over the place... what a sad and frucked up country...
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