What could be the future of the budget for 2024?

In the midst of the national crisis, the Government of Mr Laurentino Cortizo and the vice president, José Gabriel Carrizo, did not define what the future of the general state budget for fiscal year 2024 is.

At the moment, the state budget for next year has not been adopted, since Legislature they decided to return it to the executive branch, in order to make some adjustments in some institutions that they felt should have more economic resources.

This was done despite the fact that it is one of the constitutional functions National Assembly (AN)is to approve or reject the budget, but not to make recommendations.

Given that, we now have a dilemma, what will be the future of the budget, will it be adopted or will this one have to be used? year 2023

It should be noted that the current state administration was established for the next year budget exceeding 32 billion dollars, the largest since 1990 to date.

There are those who suggest that the budget figure is very high and must therefore be corrected.

The project was presented at the plenary session of the National Assembly by v Minister of Economy and Finance, Héctor Alexanderwhich justified that figure.’

272

This is the number of the article of the Constitution that allows the executive power to approve the budget.

32

billion budget that the Executive wants to approve in the middle of the election.

The debate now centers on whether to keep that figure or change it, the product of the crisis the country is experiencing due to the approval of the mining contract between the state and Minera Panamá.

There are those who suggest it should be in place until 2024, the same figures as 2023. which is slightly more than 27 billion dollars, taking into account the situation in the country.

A legislative source indicated that extraordinary sessions could be convened for the first week of December to approve the 2024 budget, with the changes he proposed Legislative.

He also commented that it will depend on what the situation will be like in the country, so if it continues like this, then It would be decided to leave the one from 2023 in force.

Given what is happening, deputy Raúl Fernández indicated that he is sure that if Government corrects the budget plan for 2024, there will be serious problems on the streets again.

“This budget that the Executive presented for more than 5 billion dollars no longer represents the needs of our population”He said.

Fernández added that if the executive does not present a budget in line with the reality that is being experienced in the country, there will be more protests.

Namely, the MP said that he does not want to think that the executive power wants to take advantage of Article 272. political constitution, which says that if the budget is presented and not voted in the Assembly, by December 31 at the latest, those in the Government Council can approve it.

“I don’t see that there is currently a political environment, nor the desire of anyone from the executive branch to go to the Assembly to support that budget of more than 32 billion dollars”Deputy Fernández repeated.