28 October 2017

Timorese opposition groups refer leaders to eventual coalition decision

WARNING MACHINE TRANSLATION ORIGINAL PORTUGUESE TEXT FROM LUSA October 24, 2017, 5:24 p.m. http://noticias.sapo.tl/portugues/lusa/artigo/23155314.html Dili, Oct. 24 (Prensa Latina) Leaders of the three opposition factions in the Timorese parliament today handed over to their party leaders a decision on whether to hold a pre-election coalition in the event of early elections in Timor-Leste.

"This decision is up to the leaders of the parties," said Aaron Noé Amaral, the head of the party. "We stand on the bench to implement the party's policy and we do not want to advance scenarios. the largest opposition party, the National Congress of Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT).

Fidelis Magalhães, leader of the People's Liberation Party (PLP), also said that no coalition acts "without the guidance of leaders" and that they determine the political guidelines to follow.

"I, the House and the other deputies, have a duty, a responsibility to respond politically to the leaders, structures and organs of the party. We have to follow the laws, the constitution and the political orientation of the party," he said.



"The seats represent the party and do not do self-initiated politics without the guidance of the party leaders. If it did, it would be adventurous but not political," he said.

The scenario of early elections comes if the opposition approve a second rejection of the Government's program, which would imply the downfall of the executive and would send the President of the Republic the decision on what to do: new vote or new Government in the current framework.

Even before the first lead, last week, the three benches - National Congress of East Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), People's Liberation Party (PLP) and Kmanek Haburas Timor Oan National Unity (KHUNTO) - formed a Parliamentary Majority Alliance (AMP) ) that offered itself as a stable alternative to Government.

Arão Amaral, leader of the CNRT bench, said that the Constitution foresees early elections, that the decision is an option of the President of the Republic, and that his party will respect what is decided, although he remembers that the AMP offered as a stable alternative governance.

"The power to declare early elections belongs to the President of the Republic, always having to respect the constitutional rules. We are a democratic State of law and we have to govern by constitution and by laws," he said.

"If, with your analysis, the President considers that this is the best option, it will not be us who will not comply with a decision that is based on the Constitution," he said.

Still, he recalled that in the first letter he addressed to the head of state the opposition said that his preference was not early elections.

"We do not intend to make any assault on power. We just want to ensure the sustainability of the Government," he said.

ASP // VM

Lusa / The End

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