They propose changing the Rules of Procedure of Congress to include “austerity measures”.

Congressman of the faction of Democratic Peru, Nieves Limaki Quispesubmitted a draft legislative resolution that amends the Rules of Procedure of Congress to include austerity measures in government spending.

Initiative No. 4322/2022-CR establishes an amendment to article 33 of the aforementioned regulation to include austerity measures in Congressional administrative spending, which allows for “optimizing the use of institutional public spending with efficiency and transparency.”

Limachi Kispe Proposes the addition of the following paragraph to Article 33: “The Board of Directors is required to establish specific austerity and rationality measures, as appropriate, that optimize the use of institutional public spending in an efficient and transparent manner; without prejudice to the provision of public services in Congress.”

Within the main legislatorwho took the place of the late Congressman Fernando Herrera, quoted Asociación Civil Transparencia Secretary General Yvan Lanegra as saying that in the last legislative period (2016-2021), the budget allocated for consulting payrolls and technical support has increased.

“The list of advisers/technical support for the bankades in Congress grew from 2016 to 2021 by 46 people, which means almost half a million soles per month,” the report says.

In addition, the austerity measures taken by government institutions such as the Central Reserve Bank of Peru and Petroperú were set as a precedent.

The draft also states that it will save the administrative costs of the Congress, optimize the efficiency of spending through transparency, and “improve the institutional structure and image of Parliament.”

The legislative initiative was presented last Friday, February 24, and has the signatures of congressmen. Hamlet Echevarria Rodriguez, Luis Camiche Morante, Betsy Chavez Chino and Guillermo Bermejo Rojas.

Buffet controversy

Last week, Congress of the Republic announced a review of the food services that are provided during plenary sessions after learning that Parliament has increased the daily food costs for each parliamentarian to S$80 for lunch alone, according to a report from fourth force.

“While the described study is being carried out, regular meals will be organized. On days when there is no plenary session, the costs will continue to be borne by congressmen.”, the message says.

The Board of Directors of the Congress has approved an addition worth more than two million soles to increase the cost of meals for each parliamentarian and receive a buffet in return.

This change has taken place since December of last year due to a new addition. Now lunch per deputy has gone from the value of S/. 15.93 to C/. 80, payment for the buffet concept.

Breakfasts have also risen to 31 sols per MP, while they used to cost less than 5 sols. The same goes for dinner, which costs 80 soles.