Budget Stalled for 286 Days; DPP Warns of 'Simultaneous Review of Two Fiscal Years'

(Central News Agency, Reporter Yeh Su-ping, Taipei, June 11) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Spokesperson Lin Chuyin stated today that the review of the current fiscal year's central government budget has been stalled in the Legislative Yuan for 286 days, with budgets for several ministries still pending. The Executive Yuan has begun drafting the budget for the next fiscal year, which is expected to be finalized and sent to the Legislative Yuan for review by the end of August. If the opposition parties in the Legislative Yuan continue to delay the review of the current fiscal year's budget, it will inevitably lead to the absurd situation of 'reviewing budgets for two fiscal years simultaneously.'

The DPP issued a press release today. Lin Chuyin pointed out that, taking the Legislative Yuan's Education and Culture Committee as an example, the budgets for the ministries under the purview of DPP convener Wu Li-hua have already been reviewed. In contrast, KMT convener Lo Ting-wei has not reviewed a single word of the budgets under his purview, has forcibly scheduled the review of a controversial 'E-Sports Basic Law' draft that lacks industry consensus, and has led a delegation abroad, causing important budgets to be stalled.

Lin Chuyin stated that the KMT and TPP's delaying and blocking of budgets in the parliament is not an issue limited to a single committee. The DPP proposed a special regulation for drones related to national defense autonomy on the 5th, but the KMT and TPP did not even give it a chance for review, blocking it procedurally. During the budget review in the Foreign and National Defense Committee yesterday, KMT committee members slashed over NT$140 million from the international publicity budget, deliberately silencing Taiwan's voice on the international stage.

Lin Chuyin emphasized that, in addition to the above, the central government has allocated over NT$10 billion this year for flood control and prevention budgets to help counties and cities improve their flood resilience and disaster prevention capabilities. This is a key plan for disaster reduction, but it remains stuck in the Legislative Yuan without being reviewed.

She said that since the KMT and TPP have already extended the current session twice, they should fulfill their duties and complete the review of the central government's budget for the current fiscal year as soon as possible. They must not hold national development hostage and sacrifice the welfare of all citizens for the sake of political infighting, and should return a normally functioning parliament to Taiwanese society. (Editor: Su Chih-tsung) 1150611