09 February 2014

Message from the President to the National Parliament on the promulgation of the General State Budget 2014

ETLJB 9/2/2014 - The following is an extract of an unofficial English translation by La'o Hamutuk of the President's 5-page letter to Parliament of the President of the Republic. The full text may be accessed here.

MESSAGE TO THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENT FROM HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TIMOR -LESTE, TAUR MATAN RUAK ON PROMULGATION OF THE GENERAL STATE BUDGET FOR 2014

President of the National Parliament, EXCELLENCY,
Mr. Prime Minister, EXCELLENCY,
Honourable Members of the National Parliament, EXCELLENCIES,

The General State Budget [GSB] is one of the most important tools available to state institutions to intervene in the economy to promote socio-economic development of the country, the fairer redistribution of wealth and improvement of living conditions of the populations. Allow me, Your Excellencies, at the time of promulgation of the State Budget for 2014, to send you some of the concerns that plague me, targeting both the implementation of this GSB, and the preparation of future GSBs. The enactment of the 2014 State Budget is for these reasons, accompanied by this message, pursuant to article 86(e) of the Constitution.

EXCELLENCIES,
§ 1. It is worth noticing the consensus that surrounded the adoption of the 2014State Budget, which I was just sent for promulgation. In particular, we note the effort of the Government and the National Parliament in reducing the total 2014 state budget by 9%, compared with GSB 2013 (i.e., a reduction of $147.5 million). Consensus on key issues for national development enhances the success of the approved measures, but cannot affect the efficacy of the measures contained in the GSB, which are, after all, a measure of the credibility of the state itself.

§ 2. The best guarantee of the State’s own credibility by the GSB is compliance with the provisions of the Budget and Financial Management Law regarding the budget process. It is essential to comply with the statutory deadlines for the submission of the draft State Budget Law as well as for its adoption, to ensure a full fiscal year to enable better budget execution. Also, this would allow full participation of all stakeholders in the preparation, approval and promulgation of the GSB. Remember that the 2014 Budget was received in this Presidency on 28 January 2014, and is being promulgated on the fourth following working day, in order to avoid the maintenance of the duodecimal regime. I want, for these reasons, to call attention to the importance of all state organs to ensure that the budget process is developed within the legal deadlines, so that next year the GSB can enter into force, as it is due, at the beginning of calendar year.

Read the full message here.

No comments: