Amid the discussion about fiscal targets, Lula says that ‘good money is money transformed into work’ | Policy

Lula meets with Geraldo Alckimin and nine other ministers

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) once again defended this Friday (3) that the government should make investments and said that “good money is money transformed into work”. The statement took place at a meeting with ministers from the infrastructure area, at Palácio do Planalto.

“For those who are in the Treasury, good money is money in the Treasury, but for those in the Presidency, good money is money transformed into works. It is money transformed into roads, into schools, into primary, secondary, third grade schools, healthcare “, said the president this Friday.

Lula told ministers that the money allocated for the portfolios must be executed.

“If the money is circulating and creating jobs, that’s all a politician wants and a president wants,” he added.

The president also said that he wants them to be “the best spenders of money” on works and cited the new version of the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), which brings together a booklet of infrastructure projects with a forecast of investing R$ 1.4 trillion by 2026.

“We want you [ministros] be the best ministers in this country, the best executors in this country, the best spenders of money on works of interest to the Brazilian people”, said Lula.

Lula also stated that he does not want ministers to create new projects. The government’s intention is to implement the proposals that have already been agreed upon in this first year of government.

“No one needs to invent anything new in this country. Everything is determined. We will carry out these works. We have until 2026 for us to carry out part of these works”, he stated.

Lula reported that he intends to hold new sectoral meetings, with ministers from the social and services areas. He also plans, at the end of the year, a meeting with the 38 ministers, to take stock of 2023.

“Any and all failures that we noticed in this first year cannot be repeated in the second year”, he stated.

After the meeting, the Minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa, stated that Lula demanded “efficiency” from the team in the execution of public resources.

“The president wants efficiency in public spending. If there is a hospital, a school that has been started, it has to be completed, it has to serve the population. There is no point keeping the money in the ministry’s coffers, and the people without the school, without health, without the road built. There has to be efficiency in execution, that was the president’s word”, said Rui.

According to the minister, regardless of the discussion about changing the fiscal target, ‘there is no possibility’ of the government increasing spending in 2024 due to the fiscal framework, the new public accounts rule.

If the government manages to keep the accounts within the target, spending growth will be limited to 70% of the growth in primary revenues. On the other hand, if the primary result is below the target, the spending limit drops to 50% of revenue growth.

O g1 found that the meeting was called to take stock of the work of the ministries, in addition to discussing the construction situation.

This year, the government launched a new version of the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), which brings together the main works planned for the 27 units of the federation.

The following participated in the meeting:

• Geraldo Alckmin, vice-president and minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services;
• Rui Costa, Minister of the Civil House;
• Fernando Haddad, Minister of Finance;
• Renan Filho, Minister of Transport;
• Silvio Costa, Minister of Ports and Airports
• Alexandre Silveira, Minister of Mines and Energy;
• Juscelino Filho, Minister of Communications;
• Waldez Góes, Minister of Integration and Regional Development;
• Jader Filho, Minister of Cities;
• Paulo Pimenta, minister of the Social Communication Secretariat;
• Miriam Belchior, executive secretary of the Civil House;
• Mauricio Muniz, Secretary of Articulation and Monitoring of the Civil House.

Lula decided to resume sectoral meetings of his ministerial team, similar to what he did in the first semester.

This Friday’s meeting was the first with infrastructure ministers since Lula appointed Silvio Costa Filho to the Ports and Airports portfolio in September.

The federal government’s new Growth Acceleration Program will prioritize public-private partnerships