Temer discusses fiscal adjustment with ministers.

Carolina Gonçalves - Reporter for Agência Brasil

The government is making a new push this Monday (27) to advance the fiscal adjustment proposals that are awaiting a vote in the Senate. Ministers Joaquim Levy (Finance), Nelson Barbosa (Planning), Carlos Eduardo Gabas (Social Security) and Eliseu Padilha (Civil Aviation) confirmed a new meeting for today with the Vice President of the Republic and government coordinator in Parliament, Michel Temer, and the government leaders in the Chamber, Deputy José Guimarães (PT-CE), and in Congress, Senator José Pimentel (PT-CE).

At the meeting, scheduled for this Monday at 15 pm, they will try to agree on positions and define strategies regarding Provisional Measures (MP) 664 and 665. These MPs foresee changes to the rules for requesting unemployment insurance, fishing ban benefits, survivor's pensions, and salary bonuses. After a meeting of leaders in the Chamber of Deputies late in the morning, Deputy José Guimarães avoided interfering in the matter, but stated that he will continue to follow the debate.

"The discussions have progressed significantly and the outlook is good. Clearly, we [government leaders] have a firm commitment to voting on the adjustment within the framework of what is being negotiated. The negotiation involves the main points and will be a great demonstration for the country," he assessed.

According to Guimarães, Brazil is experiencing a new moment and the voting on these matters will consolidate the changes in the economy. The leader mentioned the release of Petrobras' financial results and job creation figures.

Guimarães added that Saturday's (25) ministerial meeting will be another strategy to reinforce the country's recovery. According to him, the "grand infrastructure package", which will be announced in the coming days, "is a fundamental injection to resume economic growth, expand jobs and solve the national infrastructure bottleneck".

The congressman highlighted that the airport, highway, and railway concession projects will have R$ 150 billion budgeted in the first phase. José Guimarães also said that all construction companies will be able to participate, but cautioned that, in the case of companies involved in Operation Lava Jato, the government will follow the recommendations of the Comptroller General of the Union, the Attorney General of the Union, and the Federal Court of Accounts.

In the Chamber of Deputies, the highlight of this week's votes is Bill 7.735/14, which regulates access to genetic material from biodiversity. "Today, it should only be [the vote on] the Biodiversity bill," stated Guimarães, announcing the resumption of discussions within the base regarding the House's agenda. The text has 24 amendments presented by the Senate and is expected to be discussed throughout the week in the Chamber.

The resumption of talks with leaders today followed a climate of balance after the approval of Bill 4.330, known as the Outsourcing Law. The government did not approve the text, but in plenary, the base was divided. José Guimarães downplayed the result, stating that there was no error on either side, but that the base decided to discuss the matter further internally.

"The main lesson is that greater alignment is needed between the base and the government, and between the government and social movements. These lessons remain, while preserving the ideological positions of the parties. We will make an effort to prevent the government from taking sides when the base is divided."

The effort to achieve harmony includes a request for talks between leaders and Temer and a meeting between the PT and PMDB parties, with a date to be determined. "This is neither the last nor the first [attempt between the parties]. The government's political coordinator is from the PMDB. Therefore, there must be an agreement," he concluded.