Sports minister says that all the cities chosen to host the event will meet the targets set by FIFA. Although today not all capitals are at the same stage of implement schedule of construction work, all host cities chosen by FIFA ‘will take part in such proposal World Cup’, stated the Sports minister, Orlando Silva. ‘There is no plan B because I trust that the city will fulfill its commitments’, he said at a public hearing of the Committee on Tourism and Sports on Wednesday (19) to discuss the situation of the states involved in the event.

The minister did not correlate with what cities are further delays in the schedule of works, but admitted that the situation between them is unequal. Rio de Janeiro, tipped to host the final of the competition, did not launch the public notice for works yet, as Manaus, Cuiabá and Belo Horizonte are already running projects.

According to Orlando Silva, FIFA approved the proposals in Cuiabá, Brasília, São Paulo, Curitiba and Porto Alegre. By contrast, Fortaleza, Natal, Recife e Rio de Janeiro are being assessed. ‘Three months ago we were carful; now, the rhythm is not desirable, but there is an important development’, he said.

Bottleneck in the air
The biggest challenge to perform the world football, for minister, is the airport infrastructure. Silva said that it is a matter so sensitive that the president decided to include in the Provisional Measure 489/10 predicting rite simplified to government procurement for the works performed at airports.

MP authorises the Union to join a consortium to perform works for 2016 Olympics. For the World Cup, the estimate for federal investments in infrastructure is R$ 24 billion.

Transparency
The deputy Silvio Torres (PSDB-SP) expressed concern with the use of the measure proposed by the government.

According to him, ‘there is nothing [in MP] requiring transparency from the Olympic committee’. The representative said even he will present amendments to provide mechanisms to ease controlling resources.
Orlando Silva, however, assured that ‘there is no risk because all the control mechanisms for public money, transparency and publicity of contracts are protected.

For the deputy Otavio Leite (PSDB-RJ), as the term of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ends on December 31, the measure ‘lacks legitimacy’. In his conception, it is necessary that ‘the president elected to submit new proposal (to the Congress) on the public company to manage the organisation of the Olympics.

Tax waiver idea
According to the minister, the Federal Revenue calculations estimate that tax breaks will be R$ 500 million.
However, levy predicted performing the event is R$ 16 billion, ‘taking into account direct investment, boosting consumption and tourism and the recirculation of money," was explained.

In the calculations of government, the 2014 World Cup will create direct investments, R$ 47 billion in Brazil. ‘The recirculation of such resources in the economy will have a powerful impact far beyond such 47 billion’, stated the Sports minister.

Urban mobility
Sports minister, Orlando Silva, ensured that all host cities of the World Cup have already presented their proposals to contract the works for urban mobility. ‘Some have gone on foreclosures, others have already contracted other funding bodies.’ Public investment, roughly R$ 11.5 billion, are expected to improve the urban transport.

Orlando Silva also said that the bill may arrive at the Chamber in the coming days, which exempts FIFA and its partners, as well as host broadcaster chosen to create images for the entire World Cup.

Biodiesel
Regarding the environmental sustainability of the event, item required by FIFA, the deputy Afonso Hamm (PP-RS) suggested that the government expand the use of biodiesel in the host cities during the event.
According to Orlando Silva, there is already a proposal to expand the percentage of renewable fuel used for automobiles. ‘We studied this measure as a way to promote biofuels’, he said.

Reporting – Maria Neves
Edition – Tiago Miranda
Translation - Grupo Solucion-SP Language/Edgar Casadei