After several signs that he would give privileged increases to police officers, President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) indicated this Thursday (26) that he will back off the idea and said that the trend is to grant a 5% increase to all categories.
The Chief Executive seeks to guarantee the support of the class for his reelection, but says he has faced difficulties in cutting R$ 17 billion from the ministries to make room in the Budget in order to make adjustments. According to him, strike movements will not solve the problem.
“I appeal to the civil servants, I recognize your work, but the strike will not be a solution, because there is no money in the Budget. I am the first president to have a ceiling in the Budget. Others did not, they could readjust, I cannot”, stated.
He said that he is still studying where to get money from to give the salary increase and said that a readjustment greater than 5% would burst the ceiling on public spending and could lead him to commit a crime of responsibility.
“I cannot make a linear cut. There is a ministry that has strategic programs. I cannot, for example, reduce some Defense programs that are classified as such. Where will I cut? Health and education? It will have to be cut from somewhere” , he said.
The president’s initial plan was to give police officers greater readjustment in relation to other careers. The idea was to give raises to members of the Federal Highway Police so that the salary of the category would be equivalent to that of Federal Police agents and also to employees of the National Penitentiary Department. A larger increase was also considered for the Federal Police.
Budgetary difficulties, however, made it difficult to implement Bolsonaro’s project. In addition, there are fears that granting a higher raise to specific categories would arouse career strike movements that felt wronged.
Bolsonaro’s statement had repercussions among federal police, who this Thursday (26) held demonstrations in some cities in the country. They counter the president’s argument that the spending cap prevents the promised restructuring.
According to them, the amounts were already reserved in the Budget and opinions from the Ministry of Justice and Economy point to the legality of granting the readjustment above 5%.
“It’s no use talking about a spending ceiling, because it’s legal and technical, because there’s a Budget. The decision not to give is exclusive to the president, it’s not the spending ceiling, so-and-so, it’s his. He doesn’t want to give”, I told Sheet Marcos Camargo, president of the National Association of Federal Criminal Experts.
President of the ADPF (National Association of Federal Police Delegates), Luciano Leiro, says he regrets and repudiates Bolsonaro’s “lack of commitment” “with his own word” and says that the police can no longer take the devaluation sponsored by the current government.
“Now, even with the budget reserved and approved since last year, this excuse comes from the president. The federal police can’t stand to be devalued anymore and don’t accept any more excuses”, he says.
Marcus Firme, from the National Federation of Federal Police, says the category is disappointed with the Bolsonaro government.
“The money has been allocated, we have the money. The issue is political. The excuse is hollow, we understand that it is the president’s own decision.”
Readjustment chronology
November 15, 2021: Bolsonaro defends behind the scenes privileged increase for federal police, federal highway police and criminal police.
December 16, 2021: Guedes gives in to the requests and asks Congress to set aside R$ 2.5 billion in the 2022 Budget to grant salary readjustments in an election year. Official letter does not mention the categories covered.
January 19, 2022: The government announced the suspension of the readjustment to police officers and Depen employees and stated that it would wait for the “end of the actions” to decide on the increase to the civil service.
February 11, 2022: He stated that he intended to grant a privileged raise to police officers, but indicated that he could back off, mentioning that the measure could trigger strikes by other categories. He said he would regret and leave the increase for 2023 if that materializes.
May 19, 2022: Bolsonaro recognizes that several categories can go on strike if there is privilege for police officers. ‘This is the impasse that is happening,’ he said.
December 21, 2021: Congress approves Budget with a forecast of R$ 1.7 billion for increases, election year, after the general rapporteur, deputy Hugo Leal (PSD-RJ), backed down from his decision not to provide salary readjustments to civil servants. Employees of the Federal Revenue initiate mobilization in the public power for better remuneration as well.
May 17, 2022: Bolsonaro says that “soon” the purchasing power of civil servants would be recovered and especially cites the PRF. “We’re sorry [a perda de] purchasing power of public servants. But I’m sure that will soon be recovered. In particular, our Federal Highway Police”, said Bolsonaro at an event in Sergipe. The government, however, postpones the decision due to lack of space in the spending ceiling – increases could generate the need to cut R$ 15 billion in expenses.
May 25, 2022: Guedes says in Davos, Switzerland, that the only possible adjustment is the 5% linear adjustment. “The president would like to give police officers a raise but he can’t, it’s seen as grooming,” he said at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
May 26, 2022: Bolsonaro finally backs down. ‘What is the trend? It’s 5% for everybody,’ he said.
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