Africa-Press – Cape verde. The President of the Court of Auditors (TC), João da Cruz Silva, today delivered to Parliament the opinion on the general state accounts for 2023, but stated that “there is no delay”.
In statements to the press, on the sidelines of the delivery of the document to the President of the National Assembly, Austelino Correia, João da Cruz Silva said that the TC found that the principle of “cash unity” in the budgetary process is already a “reality”.
“The exception is for the external services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” lamented João da Cruz Silva.
Regarding state revenue, according to the President of the TC, there was a forecast of 67 billion cruzeiros and 66 billion was achieved, that is, “98 percent (%) of the forecast was collected”.
“(…) This means that there was excellent work by the tax authority in collecting revenue,” celebrated the President of the TC.
In 2021, 44 billion escudos were collected, and in 2022 there was a “significant” increase to 54 billion escudos.
In terms of fiscal debt, that is, the debt of third parties to the State, there was a “considerable” decrease.
In 2016, the head of the Court of Auditors assured, the fiscal debt was 43 billion escudos, and at this moment it has fallen to 30 billion escudos, which means there has been a “substantial drop”.
Regarding the expenditure planned for 2023, the report notes that the amount was R$ 91 billion, but that its execution was around 72%.
“There is good performance in terms of expenditure execution,” observed João da Cruz Silva.
In terms of subsidies and tax benefits, the Court of Auditors points out that there is an “effort on the part of the government” to guarantee “transparency” in the granting of subsidies and tax benefits.
“Proof of this is that the list of entities that had access to tax benefits was published in May and December 2023,” indicated João da Cruz Silva.
He revealed that the Court of Auditors (TC) is conducting a study, within its tax policy unit, to determine the impact of tax waivers on the framework of subsidies and tax benefits.
Regarding debt, according to the president of the TC, it “fell substantially in relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”
“In 2021, we had a public debt, in relation to GDP, of 158%,” observed Cruz da Silva, adding that in 2022 it fell to 133% of GDP and in 2023 to 123% of GDP.
Thus, he considers that this fall in public debt in relation to GDP signifies a “sign of economic recovery” and also of the normalization of public finances.
Regarding assets, João da Cruz Silva added that in 2021 and 2022, an inventory of the State’s rural and urban properties was carried out.
“We encourage the Government to deepen and broaden this inventory to all of the State’s assets,” he indicated, before lamenting that the “least successful” aspect is the lack of regulation of the inventory to serve as a basis for the valuation, amortization, and revaluation of the State’s assets.
Regarding the treasury, he commented that “the regulation of the operating conditions” is lacking.
“In terms of social security, we note that the Government is also complying with the payment of accumulated debts to the National Institute of Social Security (INPS),” assured the president of the Court of Auditors, who said he noted with “some appreciation” the existence of a “strategic plan” by the executive branch and the INPS to expand the contributor base to informal workers, in order to “strengthen” the social security system.
Asked about some irregularities on the part of some embassies regarding the rendering of accounts, João da Cruz Silva believes that these defaulting diplomatic missions will regularize the situation, “albeit with some delay”.
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