The Cohesion Minister stressed on Thursday that the 2023 budget will distribute 400 million euros more to municipalities than the previous one, but that it is not enough for municipal claims, such as the end of cuts in mayors’ salaries.
In an interview with Lusa, Ana Abrunhosa, who will be heard in parliament today as part of the debate on the state budget for 2023 (OE2023), emphasized that this is “a generous budget”, but admitted that she has rejected some of the claims made by the National Association of Municipalities (OE2023). ANMP) had submitted to the government.
The ANMP, which is also being heard in parliament today, gave an overall positive advice to the OE2023, but wants, among other things, to end the 5% discount on the salaries of public office holders, an austerity measure that has been implemented since the government of José Sócrates. , in 2010, which Prime Minister António Costa has already said he plans to reverse. However, it still won’t fit in this budget.
“We understand, in the case of the cut in politicians’ salaries, that it was necessary to enforce. At a time when families are all implementing restrictions, we thought it was not time to lift this cut. We think that it is time to support the families most in need. It does not mean that the claim, at a different time and in a different business cycle, is not legitimate,” said Ana Abrunhosa.
Also outside this budget were claims such as the reduction of VAT on public lighting, the payment of 156 ME of debts that the municipalities took on in the fight against Covid-19 and the possibility to use the full debt capacity of the municipalities.
In the latter case, the government continues to defend that the debt burden of municipalities that comply with the law should not exceed the debt limit of the previous year by 20% and only in the non-co-financed part of projects with European funds.
“For us it was the safest way to comply with this demand, but I admit that there may be another agreement in the Assembly of the Republic. Now the parliamentary groups will present their proposals and therefore it would not be strange for that we should have such a proposal”, which responds to the needs of the municipalities, added the Minister of Territorial Cohesion.
Ana Abrunhosa believed that the OE2023, which is discussed in the Parliament in the specialty, is “generous” and that is what prompted the ANMP to give it a favorable opinion, unlike in recent years.
“We are talking about a budget where transfers to local authorities [municípios, freguesias e comunidades intermunicipais] increased by 416 ME. We are talking about 208 million through the Local Finance Law [nomeadamente com o aumento da participação das autarquias nos impostos do Estado] and 208 million for the increase in decentralization funds,” he underlined.
Ana Abrunhosa also emphasized that, in addition to raising more than 200 ME in the Financing Fund for Decentralization (FFD), to 1,204 ME, OE2023’s proposal also provides for a safeguard clause that allows for the reinforcement of decentralization resources, if necessary. not enough.
“For two reasons: because the process of decentralization of these new competences has not yet been consolidated and because we also live in times of uncertainty and inflation and therefore it is good to keep, say, an escape valve that allows us to adapt to the opportunity to strengthen transfers,” he said, stressing that the current inflation scenario has already complicated the price of meals and school transport this year.
The minister also underlined that the government recently responded to another “legitimate” claim by the municipalities, namely the regularization of 104 ME of settlements from the last years of the Municipal Social Fund, which in December will still be under this year’s budget. getting paid.
As part of the debate on the specialty of the OE2023 proposal, Parliament today hears the ANMP, the National Association of Parishes (Anafre) and the Minister responsible for the municipalities, Ana Abrunhosa, with the final global vote on the document expected on November 25.
Source: DN
