Government of Timor-Leste

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Social Communication, Francisco Martins da Costa Pereira Jerónimo and the Minister of Finance, Fernando Hanjam, on September 17^th, 2020, participated in the discussion and vote on the Government’s request for the 2020 General State Budget urgent analysis.

At the extraordinary plenary session, members of the National Parliament approved the Government’s request with 54 votes in favour, 7 abstentions and no votes against.

In the explanatory memorandum for the request, the Government states that “the General State Budget is the main instrument of Timor Leste’s economic and financial policy, providing for the revenues and expenses that enable the conditions for the country’s economic development to be created (...) taking into account that, the State continues to be the main responsible and engine for promoting development in Timor-Leste”.

The Government submitted the 2020 General State Budget Proposal Law draft to the President of the National Parliament, Aniceto Guterres, on September 15^th, 2020. According to the calendar of parliamentary procedure process of the 2020 General State Budget Law Proposal, next week, individual or joint hearings will be held by the Permanent Specialized Committees. The 2020 GSB will be overall discussed and voted on October 1^st and 2^nd and detailed discussed and voted between October 5^th and 8^th. On October 9^th, the final wording of the National Parliament’s Decree will be sent to the President of the Republic.

The 2021 GSB is also in preparation, with the analysis of sectoral budget submissions by the Budgetary Political Review Committee (known by the acronym CROP) starting next Monday, on September 21^st, and afterwards, after approval by the Council of Ministers, be submitted to the National Parliament, by October 15^th.