The Assembly must debate education, defends Zanchin

The re-elected state deputy Vilmar Zanchin was the name indicated by the MDB to preside over the Legislative Assembly in the rotating system between the parties with the largest benches in the House. In his conduct, he wants to bring to Parliament the theme that is already considered a priority by the government composed of his party: Education.

Zanchin wants to take the Assembly to the communities and use the representations that federal deputies have in culturally convincing people about the benefits of contract work in future full-time schools in Rio Grande do Sul.

According to him, parliamentarians should also be part of national discussions such as tax reform, which should be proposed by the federal government later this year. “The Assembly cannot be oblivious to this issue because this will inevitably interfere with state and municipal revenue”, says Zanchin, in this special interview.

Jornal do Comércio – How do you expect this year to be at the head of the Legislative Presidency?

Vilmar Zanchin – I will fulfill the mission in the best possible way, following an agreement that already exists here in the Assembly for more than 15 years, of shared management, where the four largest groups share the task of managing the House and take turns in the presidency . I will pay attention to what our internal regulations recommend, which are established in the highest law, and I will represent the Legislative power externally, always maintaining independence and, of course, having a harmonious and respectful relationship with the other Powers and institutions.

JC – How can the Legislative power be a protagonist in guiding the main issues of the State, and not just be provoked by the Executive?

Zanchin – All debates take place in this House. Of course, the initiative, also due to what is established in the legislation, makes the Executive have even greater prerogatives at the beginning of some legislation. But the House does not shy away from any topic of interest to society, whether in momentary systems, such as drought. There are other matters that will inevitably be discussed here in the House, in Organs technical bodies or in the plenary, but we also want to have an issue this year where the Assembly is a protagonist. We are going to propose a very broad debate within the House on the issue of education. We (RS) already figured in the past education indicators in Brazil that were much better than those we have today, aggravated by the pandemic. We need to place this theme at the center of debates and that is what we are going to propose this year, not only internally, but also by listening to society with meetings that we will hold in the most diverse regions. We know that the government itself also has this area as a priority and we want to contribute to advances in the educational sector. And then it goes beyond the physical structure of schools, with the issue of remuneration for professionals in the field of education, but also building public policies aimed at the professionalization of our students, who need to be inserted in the job market. The issue of technology innovation itself, which has to be very present within our school and prepare our faculty for the challenges that are in this technological world, in this world that changes very quickly. I think that the Assembly cannot be oblivious to this debate. We have to be part of this discussion and, more than that, be an agent of motivation in society so that this issue is discussed and that everyone gets involved in the debate on the issue of education.

JC – The Secretary of Education states that the main challenge for full-time schools is cultural. Will Parliament, as an agent in society, help in this matter?

Zanchin – The Legislative power is the only power where 100% of Rio Grande do Sul society is represented and, therefore, we have this condition of being present in all means of society to debate a subject like that of education. In addition to the issue of the physical structure, there is also this cultural issue of families wanting their children to spend more time at school. We are going to try to have this debate, this discussion, calling all deputies, from all political perspectives, to discuss the importance of education, of students spending more time in the classroom and seeking knowledge, training, preparing for the market work and for life. It is a theme that is consensus within this house. There is this feeling that education deserves this attention and the time has come for us to discuss beyond the powers that be.

JC – The Assembly had a high renewal rate since the election. To what do you attribute this movement?

Zanchin – It is not from today that there has been an alteration, a change in the composition of Parliament. The last election was no different. This is due to a whole new relationship that society, voters have with politics and politicians. We are in a process of transformation, including the parties themselves. This change is due to a new context that we live in Brazil and in the world, the very questioning of the role of the representative. But each one elected in their own way, in their own time, seeks to do their best and the great challenge we have is to follow this vision and this change that we are witnessing in society. To be connected with this changing, evolving society that demands more from its representatives.

JC – Unlike the national election, it was possible to observe three clear ways in the election of the gaucho. Do you believe that Eduardo Leite will need to face opposition from both the left and the right in the Assembly?

Zanchin – No, I think that all the parties, the benches that are in place, will try to have their ideas, their thoughts put forward. And it translates into words and also into votes. But I am very confident in the ability of the political position of the center to mediate between the most extreme positions through dialogue and balance. The governor and vice-governor himself have demonstrated this, that they have all the conditions to present their proposals not only here inside the House, but also to society, their proposals, respecting different positions, but always seeking understanding, balance and the search for consensus. I believe that the debates may even be heated at certain times, but the government, through its leadership in this House, should also seek and forward matters through dialogue, discussion, balance and respect for all positions.

JC – The government stated that this government’s agenda would not be so controversial.

Zanchin – We had, in the first term of the Leite government, and also of the Sartori government, matters that were processed in this House… some were even disruptive. Talking about privatization until the Sartori government was almost taboo. The government had the courage to forward these matters: administrative reform, social security reform, which started there in the Sartori government and was concluded in the Leite government, including the deliberation here in Plenary. It is clear that there was a much greater external pressure inside the House in relation to what is announced that could come from matter now. On this aspect, I would say that we will not have the repetition of years that were tense within the Assembly. However, what projects the government will send here I still don’t know. And what will be the degree of tension in the debate, I cannot say either. But it is evident that the subjects that were more tense in the debate, of confrontation, have passed. Which were the issues of privatizations, reforms, which, for the time being, do not foresee a similar matter coming up now.

JC – What other issues, besides education, do you consider to be a priority for the State in the next four years?

Zanchin – There are some guidelines that we, the Legislature, can place, such as the one on education, within the technical commissions. There are others that society itself or circumstances impose on us. For example, the issue of drought is a phenomenon of nature that will inevitably come into this House. If we confirm that we have another drought, perhaps one of the worst in recent years, we will be encouraged to take initiatives in the sense that the State finds alternatives to support municipalities and farmers. Another subject that we should be involved in, if there are advances, is the tax reform, which is being discussed in the National Congress and that the Federal Government has said that throughout this first semester it will take it to a vote. The Assembly cannot be oblivious to this issue because this will inevitably interfere with state and municipal revenue.

JC – How do you evaluate this beginning of conduct of the tax reform by the federal government, with the appointment of Fernando Haddad (PT) to the Ministry of Economy and Bernard Appy to lead the reform?

Zanchin – Regarding the appointment of ministers by the ruler, I think we have to respect it, as long as each nominee fulfills his mission well. If it does not fulfill, does not correspond to what was given to it as a mission, it must be replaced. Appy participated in a debate here when we had a tax reform project in Rio Grande do Sul. When I was bench leader, we called him to talk to our bench about this matter. He is a recognized professional in Brazil, including being one of the main responsible for PEC 45 that is being discussed in the National Congress. I think we need a tax reform in Brazil where we reduce the tax burden for producers and simplify the system. But we have to be careful. We cannot withdraw resources from the federal entities, which are the most demanded, which are the municipalities and states. The municipality cannot have a loss of income and neither can the State. To fulfill its role, it cannot reduce its budget. Here in Parliament, we, the state deputies, can also carry out this intermediation between the municipalities, also be a voice in defense of our State and collaborate in the sense of finding the balance to produce a tax legislation that is modern, advanced and that reconciles the reduction of the tax burden for those who produce, for those who consume, and that no municipality has any kind of problem due to a sudden change in tax collection. It is not an easy task, it is a very arduous task, but I think that if we manage to unite all the living forces of society, it is possible to find legislation that serves everyone within a period that is interesting to apply the new legislation.

JC – How do you believe that the country managed to reach the point of having an invasion in Praça do Três Poderes, which many classify as a coup plotter, in the attack on January 8?

Zanchin – These extremist movements we perceive in the world. It happened in the United States, here in Brazil too. We have to understand these phenomena that happen in many countries of the world. As for that episode on the 8th of January, I strongly condemn it. Destroying a public asset, even more so the seat of the Republic’s powers, is unacceptable. It doesn’t matter who the aggressors are, the predators, whether they are from the right or the left, they are always condemnable. This is due to the polarization that we have experienced in Brazil in recent years between the left and the right, and we hope that from now on we will have peace in the country. I trust a lot in building a policy at the center, where we have a balance that is respected, that all positions are heard, but that we always seek understanding through dialogue to move forward, to build public policies, to become decisions that benefit all Brazilians, all Gauchos. It is not with a lack of dialogue, it is not with extremism that we are going to build advances in our society. That’s why I really trust that those who won the election have initiatives in the sense that we can move towards that horizon, that we have a more serene, more peaceful future. And let those who lost the election know that we live in a democracy. The result of the polls must be respected and prepare for the new election. There is no other way, anyone who thinks otherwise may want something other than democratic ways to reach and exercise power.