PEC dos Precatório is not to meet the readjustment of civil servants, says government leader in the Senate

The leader of the government in the Senate, Fernando Bezerra Coelho (MDB-PE), said that there is no provision for resources in the PEC (proposed amendment to the Constitution) of the Precatório to fund a wide salary readjustment for public servants, as promised by President Jair Bolsonaro .

“There is certainly a demand from federal civil servants for salary readjustments, but I think the blanket is too short and I believe that every effort we are making now is not to meet the adjustment of civil servants. The effort we are making now is to meet the poorest in Brazil who are suffering,” stated Bezerra, who is the rapporteur of the PEC.

The PEC is the main project of interest for the Planalto Palace currently at the Congress. With the proposal, it is possible to increase by around R$ 91 billion the margin for spending in 2022, the year in which Bolsonaro intends to run for re-election.

More than half of that figure is committed to increasing Brazil Aid to R$400 per month — another promise by Bolsonaro.

Another part should also be earmarked for parliamentary amendments, which are instruments used by deputies and senators to allocate public money to works and projects in their electoral bases.

“I find it very difficult [dar reajuste]. We are still at the beginning of the analysis of next year’s budget piece and there is very little space to meet so many demands. There is a demand to reinforce investment in sensitive, important areas, such as housing, roads, water resources and irrigation,” said the senator.

The speeches by Bezerra, a leader always considered loyal to the Planalto, represent the second day of reaction to the statements made by the Chief Executive. Bolsonaro repeated for two days straight that he would like to use the open space in the Budget, with the eventual approval of the PEC dos Precatórios, to grant an adjustment to the civil service.

All statements were made from a distance, during his trip to the Middle East. Bolsonaro said the salary increases would be for all federal employees “without exception”.

“Inflation reached double digits. [ministro da Economia] Paulo Guedes, and in passing the PEC dos Precatórios, there has to be a little space to make some adjustments. not what they [servidores] they deserve it, but it’s what we can give,” he said.

For the second day in a row, Bezerra met with senators who represent a group from the House that wants changes in the version of the PEC approved by the Chamber.

The government leader minimized the articulations for changes in the proposal. According to him, the effect of the PEC on public accounts should not be changed, that is, the amount of R$ 91 billion to be added to the 2022 expenses would be maintained.

However, there is still no consensus on how to achieve this value.

“We don’t have any dispute regarding the fiscal space that should be opened. All converge towards a fiscal space around the number that was approved in the Chamber of Deputies. The question is how this fiscal space will be opened”, said Bezerra .

The government leader also acknowledged that changes are being discussed to the text of the Chamber in relation to the rules for the payment of court orders — debts of the Union that have already been recognized by the courts.

One of the alternatives is that the court orders related to Fundef (the fund in the education area) were not calculated within the limit imposed by the expenditure ceiling — a rule that prevents expenditure growth above inflation.

Another idea under discussion is that all the money for the payment of court orders is outside the spending ceiling.

Bezerra also reported that he had a conversation with the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), and that he would have committed to putting the PEC dos Precatório to a vote on November 30th.

The government leader also reinforced that he is working to have his report read and voted on by the CCJ (Committee on Constitution and Justice) on Wednesday of the next week, the 24th.

Bezerra said that he seeks an understanding with the senators, a text that is more of a consensus. However, he added that the government believes it has the necessary votes to approve the text as it passed through the Chamber of Deputies. In his calculations, there would be 51 or 52 favorable votes. A proposed amendment to the Constitution requires 49 votes of senators, in two rounds.

However, behind the scenes, it is said that the government fears this narrow margin of votes and therefore seeks negotiation.

Bezerra also stated that he is in contact with the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), to expedite a more agile vote in that Legislative House, if the Senate approves the text with amendments.