Rio Grande do Norte governor shifts R$ 25.7 million from education to pay prosecutor bonuses

The governor of Rio Grande do Norte, Fátima Bezerra, has signed a decree reallocating R$ 25.7 million from the State Secretariat of Education and Culture to the State Prosecutor's Office. This significant transfer of funds, published in the Official Gazette on July 15, is intended to cover the payment of a career longevity bonus, referred to as the "Parcela de Valorização por Tempo de Antiguidade na Carreira" (PVTAC), for public prosecutors.

This bonus, which grants an additional amount every five years of service, is capped at 35 years of experience. The Supreme Federal Court (STF) recently authorized the payment of such "penduricalhos" (perks) to magistrates in a ruling concluded in late June. According to the decree, R$ 15.76 million of the reallocated funds will go to active servers, R$ 5.8 million to retirees, and R$ 4.152 million to pensioners.

The diverted funds were originally earmarked for basic education professionals, as well as for culture, sports, and leisure initiatives. The decision to move the money to the Prosecutor's Office for bonus payments has drawn attention, particularly as the state's executive branch was reportedly the only one in Brazil that did not meet its personnel spending limit in 2024.

The STF's decision to allow these bonuses has been a subject of debate, with critics arguing that it circumvents constitutional spending limits. The reallocation in Rio Grande do Norte highlights the complex financial decisions and priorities faced by state governments in Brazil, especially when balancing essential services with judicial and public servant benefits.