New fiscal rule and solution to crisis in Congress should advance this week

Minister Alexandre Padilha, of Institutional Relations, announced late this Monday morning (27) that talks to define the rules of the new fiscal framework and containment of the crisis between the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate should be accelerated this week . The statements were given shortly after a meeting with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) at the Alvorada Palace, where he is recovering from pneumonia.

According to the minister, Lula will resume the agenda of meetings with ministers this Monday afternoon (27), but will dispatch at the official residence instead of the Planalto Palace on medical recommendation until, at least, Wednesday (29).

The resumption of political articulations comes after Lula postponed the trip to China that would take place from Saturday (25). Due to the postponement, other ministers also canceled their trip to the Asian country, such as Fernando Haddad, from Finance. The president would use the appointment to talk to the minister about changes in the fiscal rule to meet the political and social interests promised during last year’s election campaign.

Alexandre Padilha said that Lula will meet with Haddad throughout this week to consolidate the project for the new fiscal rule and that, as soon as possible, the text will be forwarded to the Chamber of Deputies, where there is a promise to be voted “quickly”. However, there is still no exact date.

“The atmosphere is very positive in Congress. We expect the Chamber to vote this week on 13 provisional measures from the previous government. O [governo] has sought to approve everything it has proposed”, he said, emphasizing that he has been talking to grassroots and opposition leaders, in addition to presidents Arthur Lira (PP-AL) and Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG).

Padilha said he will meet with government leaders in the Senate this Monday (27), in parallel with the meeting that Lira will have with party leaders from the Chamber of Deputies in the afternoon. The meetings take place in the government’s attempt to help resolve the crisis between the two presidents.

The Minister of Institutional Relations met with Lira on Sunday (26) and last Friday (24) with Lula, and that the conversations were in a “friendly tone, of institutional dialogue, without signaling a threat”. Last Thursday (23), the mayor gave a harsh statement that the government could lose votes if it supported the return of the rite of processing provisional measures through the joint commissions.

“We have the commitment of both the presidents of both houses and the deputies and senators with the content of the provisional measures. Based on this commitment, together with the two houses, we are going to build a calendar so that they are approved in a timely manner so that these programs can be [sociais] can continue”, added Padilha.

Among the government programs that were implemented by provisional measure and depend on approval in order not to lose validity are Bolsa Família, Minha Casa Minha Vida, creation of ministries such as Culture, Agrarian Development, among others.

Government will release R$ 3 billion to mayors

Also during the interview at the exit of the Alvorada Palace, Alexandre Padilha announced that the government will release R$ 3 billion in parliamentary amendments to mayors of more than three thousand cities in the country, who are in Brasília this Monday (27) during the March of the Mayors.

According to him, the announcement of the funds and the meeting with the mayors will be made by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, as was already scheduled before the postponement of Lula’s trip to China. These are resources aimed at projects in the areas of health, education, infrastructure, among others.

New directors of the Central Bank

Padilha also said that the Economic Affairs Commission (CAE) of the Senate is ready to receive Lula’s nominations for the directors of the Central Bank, in order to start the necessary hearings.

“I spoke with the chairman of the committee, senator Vanderlan Cardoso (PSD-GO), [ele está] fully willing to collaborate as long as the names are defined by Minister Haddad and President Lula, to establish as quickly as possible the names’ hearings”, he said.

According to Padilha, government ministers will also attend several of the commissions installed in Congress to explain the actions that have been taken by the ministries, starting with Flávio Dino, from Justice, this Tuesday (28), at the Constitution and Justice Commission .

In April, the Public Security Commission of the Chamber of Deputies will once again hear Flávio Dino, in addition to Daniela Carneiro (Tourism), General Gonçalves Dias (Institutional Security Office of the Presidency of the Republic) and Silvio Almeida (Human and Citizenship Rights ).

There are also hearings scheduled by the Financial Inspection and Control Commission to hear Carlos Fávaro (Agriculture and Livestock), Carlos Lupi (Social Security) and Marina Silva (Environment and Climate Change).

Finally, the minister also said that the Chinese government welcomed the postponement of the official visit scheduled for this week and that a new date should be scheduled soon. According to Padilha, the agenda with businessmen and other ministers is maintained, such as that of Carlos Fávaro, from Agriculture and Livestock, who is participating in events and meetings in the Asian country.