The President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo, promulgated today, September 27, the General State Budget (OGE) for 2018.

The OGE now promulgated totals USD 1,279.6 million and includes all income and expenditure of the State and Social Security of Timor-Leste between January 1st and December 31st, 2018.

The budget is divided into the following categories and amounts: Salaries and Wages, with 200.25 million US dollars; Goods and Services, totaling 354.03 million dollars; Public Transfers, totaling 324.22 million dollars; Minor Capital, with 5.117 million dollars; and Development Capital (including the Infrastructure Fund and Loans) with 393.748 million.

Francisco Guterres Lu Olo said he promulgated the OGE because, according to his analysis, “there is no basis for requesting a preventive review of the constitutionality and legality” of the document and that it will “enable the State to enter into the normal budget execution process”.

The President of the Republic said that the OGE for 2018 aims to pay companies so that they can create more jobs and increase their economic performance at the national level. He added that this “budget will allow the State to fulfill its priority obligations, especially obligations to the most vulnerable citizens, veterans, beneficiaries of the Bolsa de Mãe program, as well as settle payments to international hospitals and pay fuel for generators”.