The 2023 Amending General State Budget (OGE) Law Proposal, with a total consolidated value of US$ 1.77 billion, was approved in an overall global vote by the National Parliament in a plenary session on August 24th, 2023, with 40 votes in favour, none against and 20 abstentions.
The law proposal includes the first amendment to Law no. 15/2022, of December 21st, on the 2023 General State Budget and Law no. 2/2022, of February 10th, on the Framework of the General State Budget and Public Financial Management, and the second amendment to Law no. 8/2008, of June 30th, on the Tax Law.
The budget now approved allocates US$ 439,060,944 to economic affairs, US$ 24,965,254 to housing and collective infrastructure, US$ 94,411,189 to health, US$ 136,974,446 to education and US$ 253,389,284 to social protection.
The Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, in his speech presenting the Law proposal, stated that “the 9th Constitutional Government is fully committed to a fiscal policy that will lead to the country’s economic development, and that spending and revenue will be managed scrupulously and efficiently to promote once again confidence, not only among our citizens but also among investors.”
With this amendment, the authorised transfers from the Petroleum Fund are reduced from US$ 1.35 billion to US$ 1.21 billion.