PPS leader wants to annul measure by 'Parlashopping'

Iolando Lourenço - Reporter for Agência Brasil

The leader of the PPS in the Chamber, deputy Rubens Bueno (PR), filed a writ of mandamus yesterday (21) with the Supreme Federal Court (STF) against the approval last night (20), by the Chamber, of an article included in Provisional Measure (MP) 668 that allows the Legislative Branch to make public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the construction of annex buildings to the Chamber. The amendment was included in the text of the MP, which increases the PIS/Pasep and Cofins rates for imports. 

According to Rubens Bueno, the annulment of the vote needs to be done by the Supreme Federal Court (STF), since the approved article, which allows for the signing of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), did not meet the requirements stipulated in the Constitution, which are those required for the issuance of Provisional Measures: urgency and relevance of the subject matter. According to the leader, the approved article lacks the relevance and urgency to be processed as a provisional measure. "It's a topic unrelated to the main subject matter of the Provisional Measure," he emphasized.

According to the leader of the PPS party, it is not the role of Parliament to make PPP contracts. He cited a decision by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) that prevents the Judiciary from partnering with the private sector. “We went to the Supreme Court to overturn this blatant illegality. This provisional measure should never have received an amendment like this. We are not discussing the construction of shopping malls or parking garages here,” he stated.

According to the leader, the project, already dubbed "Parlashopping," has no relevance whatsoever to the country. "It's not in the interest of education, it's not in the interest of health, it's not in the interest of security, nor of the Brazilian people," he emphasized.