Federal deputies from Rio do Janeiro state said to be against the monopoly promised to the private sector with the concession of Lotex, an arm of the Caixa Economica responsible for instant lotteries and scratch cards. In September, to try to solve fiscal deficit, the federal government authorized the bid, whose model predicts that the winning company will have exclusivity of the service for 25 years.
The state lotteries of Rio (Loterj) and Piauí filed a lawsuit in the Federal Supreme Court to suspend the event, scheduled to occur until December. The minimum bid is R$ 916 million. One of the problems, says Loterj, is that the monopoly will hurt about 60 philanthropic institutions supported each year in Rio with 70% of the profits of the tickets sold by the state.
"Since 2007, we have already exceeded R$ 100 million in agreements, and in 2017 alone, this amount has already exceeded R$ 20 million. The creation of a monopoly will prevent state lotteries from taking resources directly to those who need it most," said Loterj’sPresident, Sérgio de Almeida. He intends to meet with members of the fluminense sector to mobilize the minister Gilmar Mendes, rapporteur of the process.
The Ministry of Finance and the BNDES affirm that the binding precedent of the STF, of 2007, guarantees the bidding. The president of Loterj does not criticize the concession, but the model that foresees the prohibition of competition with the states and leaves the Union (Government) with most of the resources. "No one can take over if the Federal Government keeps the money and distributes pennies to the states and municipalities," says Almeida.
'Rio will lose in the economy' - Hugo Leal (PSB)
The government's decision is yet another attempt to resolve the fiscal deficit, but it greatly undermines the state lotteries that, as in Rio de Janeiro, pass on millions to philanthropic and charitable organizations. I am against privatization and I believe the best course is Loterj's intended action in the STF because there is very little that the deputies in Rio can do but protest the privatization, which is a decision of the Executive that does not pass through the Legislative. This is another decision that draws resources from the states and concentrates funds in the Union. Rio will lose in resources for institutions, in economic movement and in job creation.
'In addition to harmful, it is unsustainable' - Jean Wyllys (Psol)
It is a question of giving private initiative a national patrimony to meet a momentary need for budgetary resources, something that, besides damaging the public patrimony, is unsustainable in the long term. The government's expectation with the Lotex auction is to raise R$ 1 billion, an amount irrelevant to the primary deficit forecast for 2017 of R$ 159 billion. The position of the entire PSOL counterpart is the opposite, and we will do everything possible, both in parliament and supporting civil society actions, to try to prevent privatization, as we have done with the entire "package of evil" of the government.
'It is the coup invoice being paid' - Luiz Sérgio (PT)
The dismantling of the State and the withdrawal of rights are the main platforms of this illegitimate government. It is the bill of the coup being paid. The privatization of Lotex follows this nefarious script. The Rio bench has many deputies who supported the coup and continue to support the measures proposed by that government. And they are majority. What we, deputies of opposition, can do against this coup is demonstrate these arbitrariness. Any measure aimed at weakening the state or weakening social actions and programs will always have my repudiation.
'Advantages for the private sector' - Chico Alencar (Psol)
The privatization of Lotex, in addition to transferring revenues to the private sector, will bring losses to social security, national health and penitentiary funds, culture, and sports, to name a few areas. This is another measure aimed at cash generation, aiming at the advantages for the private sector including foreign companies. We are evaluating with our legal counsel ways to prevent this auction, in the name of public interest. In Parliament, we are studying a Draft Legislative Decree (PDC) that can bar this alienation of resources so necessary to social policies.
'Preventing resources for Rio is wrong' - Júlio Lopes (PP)
The privatization or not of Lotex is not at the heart of this discussion. At the heart of this discussion is that, because of the future possibility of privatization of Lotex, the federal government can not prevent Rio de Janeiro's lotteries, which work in partnership with Caixa Econômica, from selling Loterj's products because they are eventually competitors of future projects and products of Lotex. Privatization may or may not occur. What is wrong and is serious is that products of the state lottery, which has good management and presents good incomes for the population of Rio de Janeiro and social works, are prevented from having these resources.
'This measure is full of errors' - Pedro Paulo (PMDB)
This measure is fraught with errors. At first, it is a federal error: in most countries, lotteries are state-owned and the central government does not have this product. It is an economic mistake, because monopolizing the market in the federal government is uneconomical. The more competition you have, the better. It's also a legal mistake because they're trying to anchor it in a 1967 dictatorship bill. It's a fiscal error for states, because when you do a state lottery, you're generating resources, revenues, taxes, and income for the state itself. States need this. The bench has been manifested and accompanied this decision of the Supreme.
'Union and State can have lottery' - Otávio Leite (PSDB)
Lotex will always be from the Union (Government), which can be managed by a private initiative. This is not to be confused with Loterj's right to continue performing its lottery contests. Although it is proclaimed that there is a monopoly of the Union in the Lottery, the fact is that it is not true. The Union can have its lottery, like the state as well. What is important is to work for Loterj to continue to play its very important role, since much of its revenue is intended to support institutions of persons with disabilities. The bench can support Loterj, so that the Supreme pacifies this point and enshrines the legitimate right of Loterj to continue working.
'The State is not the best manager' - Cristiane Brasil (PTB)
I argue that the State is not the best scratch card manager. Therefore, I believe it is a business that has to be passed on to the private sector. My question is whether, in this new format, the management of the activity should constitute a monopoly in favor of a single company that wins the bid. At first, we would have to look in more detail at what terms the contract brings.
Fonte: GMB / Gustavo Ribeiro - O Dia
