It is obvious that in Argentina, with a government that stubbornly adheres to an ideological position completely contrary to its own national interests, it becomes difficult for businesses to feel interested in establishing commercial ties with Russia. Even trade relations with China, which is our second-largest trading partner and also purchases a range of goods from us that can be replaced by products from Brazil and the United States, are being called into question," Gollan told reporters.
Gollan added that soybeans from the US and Brazil could replace Argentine soybeans for China, whereas the previous government's value-added policy for selling soybeans to China would have created new jobs in Argentina.
Argentina is one of the world's top five soybean exporters.
During his election campaign, Argentine President Javier Milei repeatedly stated his intention to focus on cooperation with the US and Israel, while ceasing to promote government-level ties with Argentina's main trading partner, China, citing his unwillingness to do business with communists. However, Milei said that the government would not obstruct businesses from establishing cooperation with China.
Meanwhile, Buenos Aires, Argentina's largest province with about 40% of the country's population, is interested in cooperation with Russia, Gollan said.
"The province of Buenos Aires has no prejudice. If there is a possibility of close cooperation, it would trade with all countries, including Russia. That is why this project has so much attention in the province," Gollan told reporters.
The project in question concerns manufacturing medications, including insulin, according to Gollan. The lawmaker also said that there already have been some consultations with Russia.
"Firstly, we want to make the first shipment. Then to establish manufacturing from materials imported from Russia. The third part is the transfer of technologies to allow us to start production in the country," Gollan added.
The province has the right to implement such projects at a regional level with different companies. However, that would require a separate law to endow a laboratory with the rights of a public limited liability company in order to boost all necessary procedures on obtaining needed medicines. Now this bill is still under parliamentary consideration, the lawmaker said.
Argentina's scientific and technological industry, including numerous space and nuclear projects, has been paralyzed due to the policies of the country's new authorities, Gollan highlighted.
"Our scientific and technological sector is completely paralyzed and receiving no funds today. The only thing which is being done is paying wages. People are quitting their jobs, but not one single peso is being sent to maintain and develop our technologies," Gollan told reporters.
The strategic CAREM project, which includes building low-capacity nuclear power plants for electrical power generation capable of supplying with electricity cities with a population of 20,000-30,000 people, is not being financed either, the lawmaker added.
"The CAREM project has been suspended and receives no financing. A similar reactor will soon be constructed in Russia, while our country [Argentina] has been working on the project for 20 years and could have become the world's only supplier of such reactors," he said.
Furthermore, Argentina was in the final stages of development of a rocket to launch satellites into space and could have become one of the few countries possessing its own carrier rocket technology, Gollan also said.
"The project was suspended, and its entire budget frozen," he said.
The financing of new vaccine development was cut as well, the lawmaker added.
"There is a project for large-scale destruction of our economy, science and technology. This government's project is a country that exports natural resources, grain, lithium, other minerals and nothing more. We are becoming an exporting colony," Gollan said.
In December 2023, Argentine President Javier Milei signed an emergency decree proposing over 300 reforms in all economic and social sectors to address Argentina’s economic crisis and sky-high inflation. In mid-June, a trimmed-down version of the president's initial bill, which offers investment incentives, addresses the privatization of numerous state-owned entities and overhauls taxes, was passed by the Argentine Senate and supported by the Congress in late June.