Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers on October 2nd, 2023
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Ninth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers on October 2nd, 2023
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and decided to approve the total amount of expenditure associated with each budget title for the 2024 General State Budget (2024 GSB), with a total estimated amount of US$1.6 billion.
This amount represents an 18 per cent reduction, equivalent to US$ 360 million, compared to the 2023 General State Budget.
The aggregate ceiling of US$ 1.6 billion includes an allocation of US$ 1,458,292,345 for the Central Administration, US$ 81,707,655 for Social Security and US$ 60,000,000 for the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno. This figure does not include the Social Security Reserve Fund, which amounts to US$162,007,651.
Of the total amount of the 2024 General State Budget, US$ 400,276,781 will be allocated to wages and salaries, representing a 14 per cent reduction compared to 2023. US$ 254,767,075 is earmarked for goods and services, representing a 36 per cent reduction compared to the 2023 General State Budget. For minor capital expenditure, an amount of US$ 247,320 is planned, while for development capital, an amount of US$ 177,606,384 is foreseen, corresponding to reductions of 14% and 23%, respectively. Lastly, an allocation of US$ 767,102,440 is planned for public transfers, representing a 13% reduction compared to the 2023 General State Budget.
The public entities will now have their budget proposals finalised, to be analysed by the Budget Review Committee, from October 23rd until November 9th. The 2024 General State Budget draft Law Proposal is expected to be approved by the Council of Ministers by November 14th, 2023 and submitted to the National Parliament by November 24th.
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Lastly, the Council of Ministers decided to authorise the signing of the Administrative Agreement for the application of the Convention between Timor-Leste and Portugal on Social Security and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Portuguese Ministry of Labour, Social Solidarity and Inclusion and the Timor-Leste Secretary of State for Professional Training and Employment on the Mobility of Timorese Workers. These agreements will be signed by the Minister for Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Verónica das Dores, and the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment, Rogério Araújo Mendonça, respectively, during their official visit to Portugal.
The first agreement aims to coordinate and bring the Social Security Convention into force, which allows Timorese and Portuguese citizens to benefit in either country and with the same Social Security benefits. This way, when applying for retirement in the future, the Timorese can include the deductions they made while working in Portugal in their pension calculations.
The second agreement aims to facilitate and institutionalise the influx of Timorese to Portugal to search for work. With this agreement, the migration of Timorese to Portugal can now be dealt with officially, and the procedures for obtaining work visas are facilitated. END
