New version of the Proposal for the General State Budget Proposal of 2020 under discussion in the National Parliament
The new proposal of the Government for the General State Budget for 2020 (OGE 2020) began to be examined and discussed in generality, today, January 15, in the National Parliament. The Government withdrew the previous budget proposal, presented last October, replacing it with the document that is now subject to debate, aware of the imperative need to provide the State with a Budget capable of responding to the demands of our society and our economy, and with full respect for the Constitutional competences of the National Parliament.
The revision of the budget proposal was carried out by an intergovernmental team, led by the Minister of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, who initiated all the necessary work to prepare the new proposal, taking into account the recommendations of the National Parliament.
The new OGE Proposal was adopted at the Meeting of the Council of Ministers of 19 December 2019, having been submitted on the same day to the National Parliament and has a total value of US$ 1 668 million (one billion six hundred and sixty-eight million) dollars. Of this amount, US$ 235.6 million (two hundred and thirty-five million, and six hundred thousand) dollars correspond to "Salaries and Salaries", US$ 582.3 million (five hundred and eighty-two million, and three hundred thousand) refer to the category of "Goods and Services", US$ 329.7 million (three hundred and twenty-nine million, and seven hundred thousand) dollars will be allocated to the category of "Public Transfers"; $31.5 million (thirty-one million and five hundred thousand) dollars refer to the category of " Minor Capital " and $488.8 million (four hundred and eighty-eight million, and eight hundred thousand) dollars are allocated in the "Development Capital" category.
Prime-Minister Taur Matan Ruak, in the presentation of the Proposal for the OGE 2020, said that "it was due to respect for the commitments made before our People that the Government withdrew its proposed budget law and that it presented a new legislative proposal, able to safeguard the concerns of the National Parliament and to respond positively to its recommendations".
The Prime-Minister, in his speech, highlighted a set of the main budgetary measures, regarding the level of "social capital – social well-being, social protection and citizenship; economic development – investment in the country's economy and public finances; improvement of national connectivity; consolidation and strengthening of defence, security and external relations; and the consolidation and strengthening of justice, democracy and human rights", referring to the "set of five priorities or strategic axes of action, guiding the decision to allocate resources for the realization of public investments" established by the Government for the current fiscal year.
Taur Matan Ruak expressed his "satisfaction and pride in many of the results achieved by the Government during the fiscal year that just ended" in which "despite the limitations" "the signs of recovery and acceleration of economic growth are visible, notably by finding real non-oil GDP growth estimated at about 4 percent (four percent) in 2019 and about 6 percent (six per cent) for this year 2020."
"Real non-oil gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2019 was the largest in the last five years”, and contributed positively to this growth "the positive developments recorded in private consumption and private investment", reflecting "the confidence that households and businesses have in our economy and the continuation of its growth," the Prime Minister added.
The vote in general of the OGE proposal runs until Friday, January 17, followed by the debate and vote in the specialty, from January 20. The final global vote will be held on January 30 and the final wording and sending of the Law to the President of the Republic will occur on January 31, 2020.
To access the Prime Minister's Speech during the presentation of the OGE 2020 in the National Parliament, click here. (Portuguese and Tetun versions only)
