National Parliament approved the 2020 General State Budget
In October 8th, 2020, the 2020 General State Budget (GSB), with a total amount of USD $1,497 billions, passed in the National Parliament, with 43 votes in favour, 21 votes against and one abstention.
The 2020 General State Budget Law Proposal draft, presented by the Government, had already been considered and approved without votes against in the overall vote, on October 2nd. Before the final global vote, the budget was analysed, debated and voted in detail, at the National parliament Plenary, with the analysis and vote of each article of Law draft and of the 51 amendment proposals, suggested by the National Parliament members.
The 2020 General State Budget , will now be sent to the President of Republic, Francisco Guterres Lú Olo, for promulgation.
Prime-Minister, in his speech of General State Budget for 2020 presentation, expressed his belief that “this is a Resistance and Resilience Budget, and the programs, measures and responses presented here describe ten months of budget execution, which actively contributed to reducing the negative impacts caused by the political impasse, natural disasters and COVID-19 crisis, in order to respond to the most urgent needs and to stabilize our society and economy, in a time of general economic recession and contraction worldwide”.
He also added that this is a “Budget of Hope for Economic Upturn and Recovery” and is “a real opportunity not to return to the pre-crisis position, but to transform Timor-Leste into a more solid and inclusive country, in accordance with the National Strategic Plan and the Roadmap for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals”.
The Head of Government ended his speech in the Draft Law presentation, stating that the Government intends “a country where there are opportunities for all, a country of freedom, a country of choices, in which each citizen can happily build his own life project”.
The 2021 General State Budget is also in preparation, and should be submitted by the Government to the National Parliament by October 15th.
