President of the Chamber is in Lisbon to participate in the 12th Legal Forum, an event organized by STF minister Gilmar Mendes
The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), said this Wednesday (June 26, 2024) that “It’s the time” for Congress to carry out “structural reforms”, which will give Brazil “conditions to be competitive in the international market”. Among them, the tax. At the end of April, the deputy assured the minister Fernando Haddad (Treasury) that would vote on the text before the recess, which begins on July 18.
“In the current legislature, we chose to work on tax reform, fiscal balance and the green agenda”, he declared. Lira is in Portugal to participate in the 12th Lisbon Legal Forum. The event is promoted by the Minister of STF (Federal Court of Justice) Gilmar Mendes in Portugal.
Without citing specific projects, Lira stated that the Chamber is “call” to legislate on what he called “emerging issues”. The President of the House said: “The Brazilian Parliament has been able to respond to this challenge of permanent updating with respect to the plurality and divisions that exist in Brazilian society”.
According to the deputy, the “commitment” from the Chamber “has been to support and achieve national objectives of increasing economic productivity” it’s from “reducing poverty and inequality” with “fiscal responsibility” It is “in favor of sustainable development”.
Lira cited the pandemic and the wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip to say that we are facing a new global scenario, whose “contours” yet “are under construction”. In this scenario, according to him, “sustainability challenge is vital”.
According to the deputy, Brazil “has the conditions to position itself well” in this new scenario. “We have the strength of agribusiness, a solid export base, a strong oil industry alongside a leading role in the production of clean energy, a thriving consumer market and relative macroeconomic stability“, he said.
Lira spoke of “extensive reformulation” of the Brazilian tax system, to “make it fairer, simpler and more efficient”.
“GILMARPALOOZA”
O 12th Lisbon Forumpromoted by Gilmar in Portugal, is a tradition and was named “Gilmarpalooza” – a combination of the names of the dean and the music festival Lollapalooza originated in Chicago (USA) and whose Brazilian version is held every year in São Paulo with a multitude of bands from many places.
Host of the Lisbon event, Gilmar invited all the STF ministers – who were divided:
The initial program included all the STF ministers. The document with the forum panels and its participants had been published by Power360 on June 13th. After publication, the event organizers contacted this digital newspaper and said that it was still a preliminary list and subject to change – although there were no reservations in the archive regarding this possibility.
Below, the updated numbers for “Gilmarpalooza” – in parentheses, the number of authorities from each sphere of power that appeared in the initial program:
- 5 STF ministers (there were 10);
- 12 STJ ministers (still 12);
- 2 TCU ministers (there were 7);
- 1 TSE minister (there were 5);
- 5 Lula ministers (there were 14);
- 4 State governors (there were 9);
- 5 senators (there were 8);
- Arthur Lira + 5 deputies (there were 7).
WHO PAYS
The STF has repeatedly declared that it does not pay the costs of private travel for ministers, who are free to accept invitations to lectures and seminars. It is not clear this time whether each authority present at the forum will pay their own expenses or whether the organizers will pay for tickets, accommodation and food.
The Court’s responsibility is to pay for the security of ministers, no matter where they are. Even if traveling for a private activity, all 11 magistrates have the right to be accompanied by a police officer.
Barroso had said on June 10 that there is a “lack in understanding” with the travels of ministers and that they live “castellated”. called it “pet peeve” criticism of Toffoli, who went to London to watch the Champions League final and took a security guard – at a cost of R$39,000.
In 2021, the Power360 showed that the Supreme Court magistrates had 32 security guards in Brasília, 16 in São Paulo, 4 in Rio and 7 in Paraná. The annual cost was R$7.9 million per year. Currently, however, the values are not clear on the STF website and it is not known exactly where each minister was with their security guards.
In Brazil, ministers of the country’s highest court are not required to annually disclose reports on their private activities, unlike what is done in the United States (understand this text).
US Supreme Court justices have been pressured about their relationship with the private sector. North American newspaper editorials and civil society have been critical of how judges act in private activities. There is a growing feeling that the actions of judges may represent a conflict of interest.
WHO ORGANIZES THE FORUM
The theme of the 2024 forum is “Advances and setbacks of globalization and new frontiers: legal, political, economic, socio-environmental and digital transformations”.
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