Monitoring the debate on Timor-Leste’s 2026 General State Budget proposal according to Parliamentary Procedure

DILI, 04 November 2025 (TATOLI) – The debate on Timor-Leste’s 2026 General State Budget (OJE, Acronym in Tetum) begins with general discussion, continues through specialized review, and concludes with a final global vote, all in accordance with the National Parliament’s Rules of Procedure (RPN).

Article 145 of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (RDTL) establishes the legal foundation for the General State Budget:

Paragraph 1: The Government is responsible for drafting the budget, while the National Parliament holds the authority to approve it.

Paragraph 2: The budget law must be based on principles of efficiency and effectiveness, clearly distinguishing revenue and expenditure, and must include provisions for allocations and secret funds.

Paragraph 3: Budget execution is subject to oversight by the High Administrative, Tax and Audit Court, as well as by the National Parliament.

The proposed budget totals $2,214,689,195, allocated as follows:

• Salaries and wages: $476,870,249
• Goods and current services: $447,904,446
• Public transfers: $820,710,160
• Minor capital: $32,556,961
• Development capital: $436,647,379

Legislative Process for Budget Approval

The annual budget approval process follows a structured sequence:

1. Presentation (Article 162)

The Government must present the budget proposal to Parliament by October 15 of each fiscal year. This requirement has already been fulfilled.

2. Distribution (Article 163)

1. Upon admission, the President of Parliament distributes the proposal to all parliamentary benches and any requesting Members of Parliament.
2. The proposal is also forwarded to the Committee on Economy and Finance (now Public Finance) for a comprehensive report, and to other specialized committees for sectoral opinions.

3. Committee Review (Article 164)

1. Specialized permanent committees have 15 days to submit their opinions to the Committee on Economy and Finance.
2. The Committee on Economy and Finance then has 20 days to produce its report and opinion.
3. During this period, committees may convene meetings with Government members and request written information on budget allocations relevant to their sectors.

4. Scheduling (Article 165)

After receiving the committee reports, the President of Parliament, in consultation with the Conference of Parliamentary Bench Representatives, schedules the budget proposal for plenary debate.

5. General Debate and Vote (Article 166)

1. The general debate lasts three days, beginning and ending with an intervention from the Prime Minister.
2. Parliamentary benches and the Government may each make one intervention, limited to 10 minutes.
3. No other plenary business is conducted during this debate.
4. A general vote on the budget proposal follows the debate.

6. Specialized Debate and Vote (Article 167)

1. The specialized debate lasts up to 10 days, organized to allow discussion of each ministry’s budget, with relevant Government members participating.
2. This debate also takes place in plenary.

7. Final Global Vote (Article 168)

Once approved in specialized debate, the proposal is submitted for a final global vote.

8. Final Drafting (Article 169)

The Committee on Economy and Finance is responsible for the final drafting of the approved decree.

TATOLI