DILI, 24 august 2023 (TATOLI) – The National Parliament has today approved the State Budget Rectification for 2023, in its final global.
The US$1.7 billion Rectification Budget was approved with 41 votes in favor, 23 abstentions no votes against.
“The Rectification Budget for 2023 has now been approved in its final global,” the Acting President of the National Parliament, Maria Terezinha Viegas made the announcement following the voting result, in Parliament, today.
Of the Rectification Budget totaling US$1,771,867,112, the government allocated US$433,004,989 to Salaries and Wages, US$349,366,622 to Goods and Services, US$568,537,785 to Public Transfers, US$49,568,488 to Minor Capital and US$231,522,116 to Capital Development.
In his closing remarks following the approval of the budget, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão called on the National Parliament to exercise one of its important roles by overseeing the implementation and execution of the budget.
“My appeal is not just to the opposition, but to all MPs, to monitor our activities. Your role is to criticize us when we do something wrong,” Gusmão appealed.
Prime Minister also stressed the importance of uniting in the national interest to accelerate the national development: “If there’s something we need to accomplish together in the next five years, please, let’s work together to serve our people.”
Gusmão thanked all the MPs for their suggestions and recommendations during the discussion of the Rectification Budget: “We accept all criticism because it’s good for us to learn from each other.”
It should be remembered that, at the opening of the budget discussion, Gusmão highlighted the budget’s focus on five important aspects – Revitalizing the Structure of the IX Government, Reducing Expenditure in the State Budget, Reducing Inflation, Amending the law on the General State Budget Framework and Altering the Tax Law.
Gusmão also stressed the importance of amending Law 2/2022 on the State Budget Framework in order to concentrate the allocation of the budget into five important categories – Wages and Salaries, Goods and Services, Public Transfers, Minor Capital, and Development Capital.
In order to guarantee the stability of the General State Budget, Parliament also approved the government’s proposal to eliminate the Grand Options Plan Law, to create an Annual Strategic Investment Plan with a multi-annual vision of the budget, in line with international best practice.
The draft budget bill will be sent to the President of the Republic for approval in the near future.
Related News:https://en.tatoli.tl/2023/08/23/rectification-budget-focuses-on-five-important-aspects/13/
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
