Temer-style political maneuvering: Meirelles advances repatriation funds to municipalities.

247 - The government announced this Wednesday (28) that it will bring forward to Friday (30) the transfer of repatriation funds to municipalities. According to the Ministry of Finance, the payment orders will be issued tomorrow so that the municipalities can account for the funds this year. R$ 4,449 billion will be paid.

The National Front of Municipalities (FNP) and the PSB even filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Federal Court (STF) to expedite the receipt of these resources, but the court denied the request yesterday (27).

The mayors were concerned that the funds would only actually enter the municipal coffers in 2017. This could happen if the National Treasury authorized payment only on December 30th, which, for the banking system, is considered the last business day of the year for carrying out financial transactions. According to the Ministry of Finance, this risk does not exist.

The repatriated funds will be included in the third monthly installment of transfers from the Municipal Participation Fund (FPM). On the same date, the government will also deposit the amount owed to municipalities by the Fund for the Maintenance and Development of Basic Education and the Enhancement of Education Professionals (Fundeb), which will total R$ 1,053 billion.

In total, considering the money from the repatriation fine and the Fundeb (National Fund for Basic Education), the municipalities will receive R$ 5,502 billion on December 30th.
The government intended to transfer the funds to the municipalities only in 2017, but in response to the mayors' reaction, it amended Provisional Measure 753, which deals with the distribution of resources. According to the new version, published on December 20th, one day after the initial publication, the effects of the measure for the municipalities will be valid from December 30th of this year.