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Fiscal adjustment proposal faces resistance and could seriously impact the replacement of judges, generating concerns about the functioning of justice in Brazil.
The debate over the government's proposed spending cuts is heating up, and the impact on public servants is already causing concern, especially in the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor's Office. The proposal, which includes limiting salaries and benefits to the constitutional ceiling of R$44, is facing resistance and could trigger a wave of mass retirements, with serious consequences for the replacement of judges and the functioning of the justice system in the country.
The spending cuts package: what's at stake?
The spending cuts package aims to save R$30 billion next year. Among the measures is a ban on so-called “super salaries” in public service, limiting earnings, including benefits, to the constitutional ceiling. According to government data, these earnings above the ceiling currently cost the public coffers around R$5 billion per year.
For Carlos Zarattini, a federal deputy for the PT/SP, the measure is a matter of fiscal justice. “It is not possible to want to cut the BPC and the minimum wage and not affect those who earn well above the salary ceiling for civil servants,” he argues.
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The proposal is seen as bold by economists such as Newton Marques, who highlighted the importance of limiting super salaries in the Judiciary and Legislature, something that had never been attempted before.
Resistance to spending cuts in the Judiciary and the risk of mass retirements
The reaction to the spending cuts in the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor's Office was immediate. Representatives of courts and entities linked to the sector issued statements criticizing the proposal, warning that the measure could lead many judges to early retirement.
The president of the College of Presidents of the Courts of Justice of Brazil (Coleprecor), Adenir Carruesco, highlighted the difficulties that the measure could cause: “We would have great difficulty in replacing the judiciary, because it depends on a competition which is time-consuming and often we are not able to fill all the vacancies.”
In the Court of Justice of São Paulo, the impact would be particularly worrying, with around 547 judges, or 20% of the total, opting for retirement. Fernando Torres, president of the Court of Justice of São Paulo, criticized the withdrawal of benefits enshrined in law, stating that this would cause “tremendous discouragement” among judges.
The difficulty of replacement in the Judiciary
The retirement of a large number of judges puts the functioning of the courts at risk. The process of replacing judges is complex and involves public examinations that, in addition to being time-consuming, are extremely difficult. In many cases, vacancies are not completely filled.
This scenario could lead to an increase in the overload of the courts, making access to justice more difficult and hindering the progress of cases. For the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Judiciary, the situation is especially critical, since these are areas that play essential roles in guaranteeing rights and enforcing the law.
The government is running against time
Meanwhile, the government is working to prevent the proposal from being weakened during its passage through Congress. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, stressed that the Planalto needs to convince the parliamentarians, since there are currently not enough votes to approve the package.
Time is short, and the pressure is high. On the one hand, there is a need to balance public accounts and reduce the fiscal deficit. On the other, the impact on civil service careers, especially in the Judiciary, raises questions about the practical consequences of this measure.
The public service's view
For civil service representatives, the cut in benefits and salaries is seen as a direct attack on their careers. Fernando Torres, from the TJ-SP, emphasizes that the measure disregards the importance of benefits that were recognized by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) and that are rooted in legislation.
On the other hand, experts such as economist Newton Marques state that it is essential to address spending on super salaries to ensure greater equity in the public budget.
What to expect from now on with the cost cutting?
The debate over government spending cuts is expected to continue in the coming weeks, and the proposal will likely undergo adjustments before it is voted on. The key issue will be finding a balance between cutting costs and maintaining the efficiency of public services.
While on the one hand the savings of R$30 billion are essential for fiscal balance, on the other hand, the impact on the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor's Office, with the risk of mass retirement, requires solutions that do not compromise the functioning of these fundamental institutions.
The government's spending cuts package highlights the challenge of balancing public finances without jeopardizing the functioning of the State. The proposed measures are ambitious and address a historical problem in Brazil: excessive salaries in public servants. However, the resistance of the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor's Office shows that the path to approval will not be easy.
The information in this article was based on the story shown on Jornal da Band on December 6th.
We have to cut the super salaries of the judiciary too. Why the privilege????
We have to reduce mainly this trillion that we spend annually on parliamentarians.