Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Movement for Democracy today declared itself open to the proposals of the PAICV, the opposition, on salary increases and an increase in the minimum IUR-exempt existence to 50 thousand escudos, in 2024, as long as they are sustained and substantiated.
n a press conference to review the preparatory parliamentary days for the plenary session that begins this Wednesday with the discussion of the proposed State Budget for 2024 (OE 2024), deputy Celso Ribeiro said that there is total openness from the party that supports the Government to discuss and welcome proposals that are beneficial to Cape Verdeans.
“We are completely open to discuss because we consider that this budget is a budget to satisfy Cape Verdeans and all proposals that satisfy Cape Verdeans we will be available to discuss openly and, if justified, support and integrate into the budget because it is a budget for Cape Verdeans”, he said.
However, the MpD deputy urged the PAICV to present the assumptions and impacts of these measures, taking into account the path of budget execution, the behavior of the economy and the international situation.
“It is very easy when we are outside the ‘four lines’ to present ideas, but without any sustainability. Therefore, we hope that when they demand an increase in the minimum existence or a reduction in taxes, that they present the assumptions and impacts so that we can have a solid basis to discuss”, he added.
According to the Movement for Democracy (MpD), this is a budget whose proposal was prepared in a special context, in order to continue the gains that the country has achieved so far.
“We have a budget that will improve family income, a budget that responds to the basic needs of Cape Verdeans because it is the largest budget in our history at around 85 million contos”, he added.
Deputy Celso Ribeiro highlighted that very special attention was given to the social state for which 44 percent (%) of the total budget is allocated, in order to respond to the needs of Cape Verdeans.
Celso Ribeiro denies that the proposal presented by the Government and which will be under discussion from this Wednesday, 8th, involves taxes and debt, as considered by the main opposition party.
“It is a budget that reduces the tax burden on corporations, which has not happened since 2015. The Government has successively reduced the tax burden and goes from 22% to 21% in 2024. And the reduction to 20% is scheduled for next year. Clearly we have indicators of a reduction in the tax burden,” he explained.
On the other hand, he added that there is a downward curve in public debt, which is currently approaching 100% when the value found by the Government supported by the MpD was greater than 140%.
“It has a budget of 85 million contos and around 85% is financed with internal resources”, he maintained.
Regarding the forecasts, which are being questioned by PAICV, particularly those regarding unemployment and inflation, Celso Ribeiro assured that they were made based on solid assumptions, adding that they are also supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), by the central bank and, consequently, by the Ministry of Finance.
Cape Verde’s OE 2024, with a value of 85,948,752,206 escudos, has as its main pillars the search for economic stability, the promotion of reforms and investments to create jobs and the commitment to protecting the most vulnerable, aiming for sustainable development and social cohesion in the country.
It predicts the growth of the Cape Verdean economy in 2024 at between 4.7 and 5%, inflation at around 3%, a public deficit at 2.9% and public debt at 110% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Week with Inforpress
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