Violent groups accuse more than 1,000 budget bills of not being unfrozen and criticize the Legislative Yuan for "not completing their homework and rushing to take election leave"

The ruling and opposition parties in the Legislative Yuan decided to suspend meetings and committees from November 23 to 27 in order to coordinate with the local elections on November 28, and extend the session until the end of January next year. The Citizen Oversight Congress Alliance (Government Alliance) and the Taiwan Forward Front held a press conference in the Legislative Yuan today (10th). They pointed out that out of the 1,190 budget freeze cases in 2015, only 159 had been processed as of November 5, and 1,031 cases had not yet been unfrozen. The budget of more than 7 trillion yuan in affiliated units has not yet been read for the third time. They criticized the government and the opposition for "hurrying to take the election holiday before they have finished their homework for this year."

Xie Dongru, chairman of the Gongdu Alliance, said that it is less than two months before the end of this year's fiscal year. Even if the procedures are barely completed before the end of the year, various agencies will still cause delays in major public construction and disputes over the performance of government procurement contracts due to insufficient implementation time. The budget of Kaguan's affiliated units involves the second phase renovation and reconstruction of Xingda Power Plant, the earthquake-resistant improvement of Taiwan Railway bridges, the elevated railway in Chiayi City, and the construction of National Taiwan University Hospital and Taipei Wing General Medical Building.

"Malicious budget controls make it impossible for the government to do anything."

Zhang Honglin, CEO of the Public Supervisory Alliance, criticized that the current legislators knew that this year was an election year, but they delayed planning until the election of the convening committee in late September. "It was already a month late." He said that the outside world thought that the budget had been passed, but it was only the central government's general budget. The state-owned enterprise budget of 3.2973 billion yuan and the non-operating special fund of 3.7791 billion yuan had not yet completed the third reading. "The Legislative Yuan has basically only done half of the work."

He said that at the beginning, random deletions and freezing, and deliberately raising the threshold for unfreezing, had resulted in more than a thousand cases being stuck. If they were hastily unfrozen in the end, it would be confirmed that they were messing around before. He also pointed out that normal budget controls force the government not to waste money and do things well, while "malicious budget controls make it impossible for the government to do things."

Wang Yanhan, co-convenor of the Taiwan Green Party, compared it to the Legislative Yuan treating Executive Yuan officials like primary school students, scolding them for failing the test and demanding make-up exams. "Now ministries will hand over the make-up exam transcripts, but the teachers don't want to change the test papers." This is a mistake in schools, but it is a waste of time for all people in Congress.

A total of 130 sorties were flown in 8 days, and 89 national defense unfreeze cases are still pending in the Legislative Yuan

Ma Yixiang, Secretary-General of Taiwan Foundation and Air Force Reserve Colonel Ma Yixiang, pointed out that statistics from the Ministry of National Defense in just eight days from November 2 to 9, a total of 130 aircraft, 60 ships, and 39 official ships intruded around the Taiwan Strait; but next year the Ministry of National Defense has a budget of 691.9 billion Yuan and the additional budget of 145.7 billion yuan to strengthen national defense are still under review. When the Legislative Yuan dealt with this year's defense budget unfreezing case on November 4, there were still 89 cases to be processed, involving anti-ballistic missile systems, drones, urgently needed ammunition supplies, and additional supplies to combat troops.

He said that after the budget is approved, Taiwan's military sales still need to be signed, produced, delivered, accepted, personnel trained and combat effectiveness verified. Every day the budget is delayed, the timetable for the formation of combat effectiveness of the troops will be delayed, and the Ministry of National Defense is required to explain to the outside world which equipment will be delayed.

Candidates also object: Don’t let the entire Congress shut down with you

Xie Minhong, Taipei City's Shilin-Beitou District City Council candidate, said that he himself runs the election schedule every day. Because of this, he cannot accept the suspension of Congress for a whole week. "It's OK for legislators to assist in the election or to stand for election, but please arrange your own time."

He Yurong, secretary-general of the Obasan Alliance for People's Participation in Politics, asked Legislative Yuan Hanguo Yu why he thinks elections are more important than people's lives. Ordinary people never have a holiday to balance work and care. "There is no election holiday in people's lives, and the Legislative Yuan should not have one either."

Annual budget review and unfreezing status. (Provided by Gongdumeng)