1. HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN THE
BUDGET ELABORATION PROCESS ?
September 19th, 2013
In our latest newsletter, we will be telling you about the importance of having a Budget and why, when it comes to government, it needs to
be done with certain characteristics such as probity, honesty, civil involvement and efficiency
Today we will be talking about the steps in the General Budget building process (which will be presented next week to the Congress) and
how you can contribute in each one, make your opinions count and not allow any more irresponsible, unfunded budgets that do not respond to the actual situation of our country.
HOW IS A BUDGET CREATED?
STEPS—ELLABORATION PROCESS
Minister of Treasury makes the Budget Policy: estimates incomes, establishes priorities and budget ceilings for each institution. In addition, he will also determine the norms and basic procedures followed by the institutions in their budget building process.
Minister of Treasury presents Budget Policy for analysis and approval
to the Council of Ministers.
When approved, the figures are communicated and every institution prepares a budget; once completed, they are sent to the Minister of Treasury, who is appointed to integrate them to the General Budget.
Minister of treasury presents a draft of the Law containing the General Budget for analysis and approval to the Council of Ministers.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED?
In the policy-creation stage of the budget, the best way to
get involved is to make information requirements and find
out about the institutional performance: work plans,
amounts executed, goals accomplished and in which they
have fallen back.
This is key knowledge to understanding the justifications behind
the Budget Policy. If the policy is not coherent with the execution or priorities, express yourself against the budget process
about to begin!
In the second step of the budgeting process, the first thing to do
is get informed: use your right to access information and demand knowing in advance the institutional budgets and how
they are justified.
Be wary that the amounts of resources respond to technical and
not political management needs, remember that this Budget will
be the guide of governmental performance for a year and cannot be subjected to whims or political favors.
Once approved, it is dispatched to the National Congress as the
law project of the General Budget, where it will be submitted to
analysis, discussion and voting.
The third step is a key stage in the process, when politicians will
discuss, approve and ratify the Budget.
When the project is approved by the National Congress, it will be
remitted to the President, who will ratify and publish it in the
Official Journal.
Otherwise, it will be sent back to the Treasury to implement modifications and steps 4, 5 and 6 are repeated.
Watch the audiences and sessions held by the Commission of
Treasury, communicate with your congressman and let them
know the political costs of an irresponsible budget, if this happens, ask the President by the means on your reach to use his
veto or make observations to it.
If you are willing to participate in any of the previous steps of the process, come to us and together we will make
al the needed demands to have a 2014 Budget that is honest, efficient, responsible and consensual.
Looking after the General Budget is our responsibility!