The Ministry of Planning is clearly making a review of the macroeconomic parameters for 2009

The Mixed Budget Committee approved, on Wednesday, November 5, the preliminary report to the Yearly Budgeting Bill of 2009. The report was proposed by Senator Amaral (PT-MS).

The budgeting forecasts should be impacted by the new international conjuncture. Senator Amaral and the Committee´s Chair, Deputy Mendes Ribeiro Filho (PMDB-RS), held a meeting with the Minister of Planning, Paulo Bernardo, on Tuesday, November 4. According to Amaral´s report, the Ministry is clearly making a review of the macroeconomic parameters for 2009, which has to be presented until November 21.

New projections
The minister informed that his technicians are forecasting an increase in Gross Domestic Product (PIB) for 2009 of around 3.7%, instead of 4.5%, which had been formerly previewed by the Yearly Budgeting Bill.
The price of the oil barrel, which in the original Bill was estimated at 111 dollars, is now around 70 dollars, which will influence royalties’ collection. The inflation should also be contaminated by the valuation of the dollar. IPCA, which had been previewed at 4.5%, is now being estimated around 4.9%.

Adjustments

Amaral revealed that Minister Paulo Bernardo forecasts a cut of R$ 8 billion solely in the Union´s tax collection. “We had already previewed these cuts in the preliminary report approved by us, considering those 20% in funding and 20% in investments. We agreed with Minister Paulo Bernardo that we will collaborate with the Ministry of Planning in studying where we can make these cuts in funding and investment” pointed Amaral.

Amount of individual amendments

The congresspeople also approved the increase in the amount of individual amendments  (quota granted to congresspeople - deputies and senators-, for them to redirect resources of the Union´s Budget to specific areas, according to the existent programs of the federal government) from R$ 8 million to R$ 10 million. Despite this increase, the author of the approved motion, deputy José Guimarães (PT-CE) declared that there will be no increase in expenses, but only an adjustment in the bill.

According to Guimarães, this increase of almost R$ 1.2 billion will be compensated by cuts in the committees´ and caucuses´ amendments. "This will absolutely not alter the amounts of the budgeting forecast or any other expense. We are only adjusting the bill, inclusively because of the poor budgeting execution of the caucuses´ and committees´ amendments”, he explained.

The term for the presentation of amendments to the preliminary report to the 2009 budgeting bill starts on Thursday, November 6, and goes until the 14.

Report - Marise Lugullo
Editing - Renata Tôrres/Rejane Xavier