The Minister of Economy and Finance, Azucena Arbeleche, after finishing the Council of Ministers on Monday 27, reported that the next Rendering of Accounts will allocate resources to strengthen the educational transformation and citizen security, as well as to comply with the salary recovery of civil servants public.
Arbeleche was accompanied at the press conference in the Executive Tower by the heads of Labor and Social Security, Pablo Mieres; of the Interior, Luis Alberto Heber, and of Education and Culture, Pablo da Silveira.
The minister indicated that the meeting reviewed the growth of the economy achieved in 2021, which after a year of pandemic increased by 4.4%. “It was well above the estimates of analysts and the economic team itself,” she said.
He also said that the increase went hand in hand with the generation of jobs, and that last year almost all of the jobs lost due to the situation caused by COVID-19 were recovered. “The focus of economic policy is on job creation,” he specified.
He added that during 2021 poverty in Uruguay decreased by one percentage point, and that it was a year in which, from the Government, resources were provided to overcome the pandemic through the COVID Fund. He stressed that, “despite increased spending, the Government maintained the commitment not to increase taxes.”
Regarding the salary recovery planned for public officials, Minister Mieres explained that the Government is currently developing the final stages of a dialogue with the education unions and representatives of the Confederation of Organizations of State Officials (COFE). He affirmed that the recovery “has already begun” and that the Government’s will to comply with what was agreed is clear.
Regarding the possible reduction of personal income tax (IRPF) and social security assistance (IASS), Minister Arbeleche recalled that the president, Luis Lacalle Pou, was clear in saying that, if there was more growth, there would be a decrease in taxes.
According to the hierarch, the commitment is still valid and it is necessary to wait until the announcements of June 30, when the Surrender will be delivered to Parliament.
