The Minister of Finance, Carla Loveira, stated that public sector salary payments depend on “gradualism and peaks” in tax revenue collection, and it is not possible to pay all salaries on the same day. The statement was made while briefing parliamentarians in the National Assembly, reported Lusa.
“Paying salaries in a single day is still not possible, as it follows the gradualism and peaks of tax revenue collection throughout the month, which tends to be more concentrated at the end of each month,” the minister explained, outlining the constraints of the process.
The minister acknowledged that salaries and remuneration are “an unequivocal right” of all state employees and officials, assuring that the Government works to ensure payments are made on time, between the 15th of the month and the 5th of the following month.
Carla Loveira explained that, after the implementation of the Single Salary Table (TSU), salaries now absorb about 65% of the State’s revenue. Adding public debt service, these expenditures consume 90% of revenues, leaving few resources for other expenses planned in the 2025 Economic and Social Plan and State Budget (PESOE 2025).
For the health sector, USD 5.2 million was transferred for overtime hours from 2022 and 2023, with the remaining USD 1.4 million for 2024 being regularized. The debt from October 2024 to June 2025, amounting to USD 4.7 million, is under validation for payment by 2026. In the education sector, the government fully paid 2022 overtime hours, while payment of over USD 15.5 million for 2023 is ongoing. For 2024 and 2025, projected at more than USD 102.4 million, the validation process is underway by the General Finance Inspectorate and the education and health sectors. Carla Loveira explained that, to avoid accumulation of overtime debts, PESOE 2025 established control measures to ensure effective monthly payments. In the health sector, the process began in July, with validation and payment through the payroll, while in education it is scheduled to start in January 2026.
The minister called for “good execution and rationalization” of public resources, reminding that everyone must contribute to ensure the State Budget responds efficiently to both current and past obligations. The goal is to guarantee payments are made efficiently and sustainably.
By September, public expenditure had shrunk by 4.7%, to USD 3.9 billion, a situation explained by the payment of September salaries in October. Over the past nine months, the State spent USD 2.3 billion on salaries, with an adjustment of USD 110.1 million, raising the total to USD 2.4 billion.
Source: Diário Económico
