Leaders of opposition legislative caucuses agreed yesterday to a special legislative session being held to review financial bills seen as key to the nation's financial reform.
The legislation, which has been proposed by the Cabinet, failed to pass before the closure of the legislative session last Wednesday.
But lawmakers representing the KMT, People First Party and New Party said yesterday that the session could only be held -- for constitutional reasons -- after President Chen Shui-bian (
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"The bills to be considered in the provisional session have to be urgent and important ones," said Cheng Yung-chin (
Chen said yesterday he respects the decision of the legislature and would do his part to make the special session possible.
The dates of the provisional session are expected to be decided in negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties.
The bills targeted by the Cabinet include the enactment of the Financial Holding Company Law, the Statute for the Establishment and Management of the Financial Reconstruction Fund, the Securities and Finance Management Law and amendments to the Business Tax Law, the Insurance Law and laws regarding deposit insurance.
During a visit to Legislative Yuan speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) on Thursday, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) expressed his wish that lawmakers could pass the bills early by holding a special session, rather than waiting until the next session which is set to open on Sept. 18.
According to the Constitution, in addition to being held at the request of the president, a provisional session can also be held if initiated by lawmakers with the endorsement of at least a quarter of the legislative body.
Also on Thursday, Chen promised he would issue an official statement asking for a provisional legislature session, if the legislature considered this a more proper method to handle the matter.
Wang, who has always believed the session should be held at the request of the president, reiterated yesterday that the legislature must take a cautious attitude on the issue.
"Unless there are major national affairs to consider, the legislature will lack the legitimacy to hold a provisional session," Wang said.
Opposition lawmakers, meanwhile, said Chang should explain to the public the importance and urgency of the bills before the special session is held.
In addition, the Cabinet should put forth a complete list of its urgent bills that are to be considered in the upcoming provisional session, if there are other ones in addition to the six aforementioned bills, the lawmakers said.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS