QCOSTARICA — The Constitutional Court or Sala IV found no constitutional flaws in the bill called “Low-cost flights to Central America,” a proposal by legislator Eli Feinzaig of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).
The Government was against the initiative, arguing that it would affect the national tourism sector, since foreigners could cut their days in Costa Rica to visit other Central American destinations.
Last September, President Rodrigo Chaves accused Feinzaig of wanting to benefit a particular airline with cheap flights and reduce the number of days that people stay in Costa Rica.
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“The legislators have been brave in standing up to Eli Feinzaig and his partners so that they do not destroy the tourism industry and do not cause tremendous damage, wanting to benefit a Central American airline,” Chaves said.
For his part, William Rodríguez, the Minister of Tourism, assured that the bill, as previously explained, threatens domestic tourism, especially during the low season, and will reduce the average stay of visitors from abroad, which is 13 days, leaving the industry, as well as the country, without receiving money.
On October 15 and before the vote in second and final debate, the ruling party with the support of several legislators, requested a review due to a possible violation of articles 167 and 177 of the Political Constitution, since the plan “causes a reduction in the ordinary income of the Central Government, on which the amount of the National Budget corresponding to the Judiciary is calculated, generating a direct impact on its organization and operation.”
“The query on the constitutionality of the bill ‘Law to promote low-cost flights between Costa Rica and Central America,’ processed in legislative bill number 24,207, is being evacuated, in the sense that it does not contain the procedural flaws or the substantive flaws consulted,” says the magistrates’ resolution.
The Wednesday afternoon decision was sent to the Board of Directors of the Legislative Assembly.
Congress will now wait for the full vote of the Constitutional Court before putting the bill to a vote. If it comes to extraordinary sessions, the Executive Branch would have to convene it, otherwise, it will have to wait until February 2025.
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The bill
What the proposal, approved in first debate, seeks is to facilitate travel in the Central American isthmus and that no more than US$23 of taxes and airport fees are paid.
This amount cannot be exceeded in Costa Rica, nor in any of the other countries mentioned above, departing to Costa Rica.
The bill establishes costs as follows:
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- In total, the clean fare for the round trip flight within the Central American isthmus will not exceed US$100 or US$50 in the case of one-way flights.
- For flights to the Dominican Republic, the clean fare will be US$120 and US$60 for one-way flights.
- In both cases, it will be understood that the concept of clean fare refers to the price of the seat, including a personal object that fits in the space below it, without considering other personal services.
The bill now requires approval in second debate, and if approved, the signature of the President and published in the official government newsletter, La Gaceta, to become law.
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