President Javier Milei will veto the law on budget increases for national universities, which was approved last night in the Senate, according to a high official source confirmed to Scope. In the same session, the opposition also dealt a heavy blow by rejecting the DNU that granted an additional $100 billion to the SIDE.
Early this Friday morning, the Senate approved the budget increase project for national universities approved in the Chamber of Deputies and which is rejected by the Government on the grounds that it jeopardizes the objective of achieving a fiscal surplus.
It was approved by 57 votes in favor, 10 against and one abstention. The opposition proposal, which will be vetoed “totally” by the President, increases the resources for universities to guarantee their operation. This increase in resources for national universities includes an increase for teaching and non-teaching staff.
The measure would have a fiscal impact of 735.598 billion pesos, which is 0.14 percent of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The project requires the Executive Branch to update the budget allocations to cover operating, research and extension expenses at universities, and establishes that every two months the Government must adjust university budgets in accordance with inflation.
The initiative approved by the Chamber of Deputies establishes that the Executive Branch will have to update, from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, on a bi-monthly basis, the amount of operating expenses of national universities based on the Consumer Price Index reported by INDEC.
According to the Budget Office, the update of 2023 items according to the CPI is 210.742 billion pesos; the bi-monthly adjustment of resources for 2024 is 86.254 billion pesos, while for salaries the funds range around 441.6 billion pesos.
One of the main points is that the salaries of teachers and non-teaching staff will be increased every month, adjusted according to inflation.
In this regard, it establishes that the teaching and non-teaching salaries of the national university system must be updated from December 1, 2023 until the month of sanction of this law by the accumulated variation of inflation reported by INDEC during that period.
After the law is passed and until December 31, salaries must be updated monthly and in accordance with the inflation reported by INDEC. This salary increase mechanism would cease to be valid only if there is an agreement between teachers and authorities of the National Universities.
Source: Ambito
