29 October 2018

Polemic on Appointment of Government: Observer suggests taking to Court

Timor Post, October 24, 2018 Language source: Tetun

The disagreement on the appointment of nine members of the government cabinet has caused tension between Timor-Leste’s President and the government-ruling party, Alliance of Change for Progress (AMP).

On June 22, President Lu-Olo refused to swear in nine nominations of AMP coalition party because of their involvement in corruption investigations. As a response to President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo’s refusal of the nine nominees, AMP in parliament has blocked President Lu-Olo’s overseas visit plan three times in row including Tuesday’s cancelation of President’s plan to participate in Bali Democracy Forum.

With the fourth cancelation of President Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo’s overseas visit is underway – President is scheduled to travel to Vatican on November 3, 2018, Political Observer, Camilo Ximenes suggests taking the polemic of the blocked nominations to the Court of Appeals to resolve it.

“Both parties – AMP and President - could take it to the court to resolve it if one of the parties feel that it is not fair,” Ximenes said.

He added the political problem could never be resolved if both parties did not want to give in, but they could resolve it with legal proceedings to end the polemic.

The deadlock over the blocked nominations is seven people from the National Congress of the Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT): Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, Helder Lopes,Tomás do Rosário Cabral, Vergilho Smith, Jacinto Rigoberto Gomes de Deus, Sérgio Gama da C. Lobo, Amândio de Sá Benevides and two José Manuel Soares Turquel de Jesus and António Verdial de Sousa who are from coalition's other partner KHUNTO.

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