Former Finance Minister Helio Fallas flatly rejected any irresponsibility in what was budgeted for this year in terms of debt repayment, despite the 900-billion colones shortage.
Fallas gave his statements before the Commission of Income and Expenditure this Monday and explained the budget had the endorsement of the Central Bank and the General Comptroller of the Republic.
The shortage is due to the deterioration of the finances in the first semester (…) the lack of money because of the non-approval (of more taxes) and because of statements by political actors in December 2017,”
said Fallas.
The former minister also explained that the payments of debt increased almost 20% in only the years and that the budget was made according to the economic panorama of mid 2017, so the administration Solís Rivera did not forget to budget those funds.
Several legislators have pointed to the former finance minister as responsible for the gap in the budget for this year, which amounts to about 900 billion colones. This caused that the current hierarch, Rocío Aguilar had to request a first extraordinary budget for 600 billion colones, destined for the payment of debt. A second extraordinary budget request for 300 billion colones is also expected.
Last Tuesday, Comptroller Marta Acosta said that only during January, 77% of the amount budgeted for the payment of debt was already executed.