Lai Ching-te: General Budget Delay Impacts National Development, Urges Swift Legislative Review

(CNA, Taipei, 20th, by reporter Yeh Su-ping) President Lai Ching-te, who also serves as the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said today that the continued delay of the central government's general budget not only affects policy implementation but will inevitably impact the nation's long-term development. He called on all party caucuses in the Legislative Yuan to complete the review of the general budget as soon as possible for the sake of overall national development, allowing national policies to be implemented smoothly. At the DPP's Central Standing Committee meeting today, Lai stated that to promote the nation's continuous progress and care for the people's livelihood, the government requires stable and sufficient budget support for its policy execution in areas such as social welfare, education, public infrastructure, industrial development, and national defense. He said that according to Article 51 of the "Budget Act," the central government's general budget should have been decided by the Legislative Yuan by the end of last November. However, it was shelved and delayed until the end of this April before being handed over to committees for review, and as of today, it has still not completed its third reading, exceeding the legal deadline by nearly half a year. Lai said that the various projects in this year's central government general budget, whether for industrial development, local construction, social welfare, or public welfare, are all closely related to the nation's overall development and the rights and interests of the people. If the delay continues, it will not only affect policy implementation but will also inevitably impact the nation's long-term development and the public's expectations of the government's operations. He said he must once again call on all party caucuses in the Legislative Yuan, for the sake of overall national development and a better future for the next generation, to hopefully complete the review of the general budget as soon as possible, so that national policies can be implemented smoothly, local construction and public welfare receive stable support, and Taiwan can continue to move forward steadily. (Editor: Chai Ssu-chia) 1150520