The government will pay R$ 57 billion (US$14.25 billion) this year to target what is known as tax pedaling (delaying bank transfers to misrepresent balances) and other debts owed by the Union.
The value was reported by the Ministry of Finance to the Joint Budget Committee of Congress on Wednesday (4).
The decisions should raise the primary deficit (higher expenses than revenues, not counting interest on public debt) to nearly R$ 120 billion (US$30 billion) in 2015, or 2.1% of the brazilian GDP.
On Tuesday (3), Parliamentarians from the opposition complained that without more definition, it would not be possible to vote on the modification of this year’s fiscal target.
“We can’t vote without any clarity on the bill. We are not just talking about tax pedaling here, we are putting the country on track”, said congressman Domingos Sávio (PSDB-MG).
Also on Wednesday (4), ministers Jaques Wagner (Civil House) and Luís Inácio Adams (Attorney General’s Office) went to Congress to deliver the government’s defense in the lawsuit that will analyze the recommendation made by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) to reject President Dilma Rousseff’s 2014 accounts due to tax pedaling.
According to Adams, the document reinforces the defense that was already presented to the TCU by the government.
“In addition to all of the reasons previously provided”, there will be modifications, according to Wagner, “on top of the trial itself, basically by the relator, accompanied by the other ministers”.
The minister said the government maintains the argument that it complied with the guidelines at the time.