Before taking on his new position, Coscia talked to El Clarín about his projects and made positive remarks about José Nun’s administration.

Jorge Coscia, new Culture Secretary of Argentina, states that at this point in time he is a “chronic candidate”. The name of the film director, former Director of the Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales (INCAA) and up to this moment President of the Congress’ Culture Commission, had been an option to head the area from the beginning of Néstor Kirchner’s presidency, in 2003. First came Torcuato Di Tella, then José Nun. “Last week I was called. It was a relative surprise. I did not expect it now”.

Coscia will take advantage of his experience as deputy to strive for consensus, and also of his experience as director of the public organisation INCAA. The new senior official clarifies that he will be the “Secretary of a political project” that he has been involved in since 1998, when he participated alongside other intellectuals, political leaders and Peronist activist at the foundation of the Calafate Group, nucleus of the “protokirchnerismo porteño”. “The President knows well my vision of culture within the process of national transformation. I consider that a country is as big as its culture”. He also makes clear that his function will be to serve the culture of all Argentineans, and “not the interests of a corporation or of culture’s world”.

One of Coscia’s main challenges will be to carry out his administration with an exiguous budget –a claim already made by his predecessor–, reduced 20% for the year 2009. “It will be key to strengthening cultural industries, for its symbolic importance as well as for the employment opportunities they create. If we had a European budget, with industrial surplus destined to culture, it would be easier. But we cannot reduce culture’s support only to the budgetary aspect”.

Will you bring along your own staff?

I have a reduced the working team, but I prefer to wait until I set foot in the Secretariat, to take decisions on ratifications and changes. I will meet first with Nun. I have lots of respect for those who work in the area. I will make decisions trying to respect them. I am Nun’s successor, not his antagonist, although I have my own ideas.

Could you give us a rundown of what you want to do as Secretary?

I will be Secretary of a political project. Different political and cultural outlooks live together in Argentina. There are people who think that there should not be intervention. I am a champion of cultural exception as a concept, of culture being exempt from taxes that are charged to the rest of industries. Cultural goods are the only ones that a country cannot import. There are countries from the Middle East that even import water, but you cannot import a cultural construction.

¿Do you have a project in mind?

Firstly, I will promote a National Book Law. It would be great to have a National Book Institute, like the one we have for film. With a minimum tax cost, it would promote the weakest chains of this sector, so that books are published not only in Buenos Aires, but in the whole of the Republic.

The budgetary adjustments made many national programs stay in Buenos Aires. What will happen now?

I need more time to talk about programs. Some, like Café Cultura, are valuable. But there are good formulas that are burned down by extension in time. For federal policies it should be taken into account the ministries and culture departments of provinces and municipalities. Policies should be integrated and the Secretariat should coordinate efforts in that direction. Articulation potentiates. I learned this when I worked with the Film Law that is run mainly by the Federal Assembly. The Culture Assembly will surely be prioritised.

http://www.clarin.com/diario/2009/07/09/sociedad/s-01955412.htm