An extraordinary session ended late last night in the Legislative Yuan with the finalization four economic stimulus bills.
"The KMT-PFP alliance really disappointed me since their withdrawal from endorsing the accord to make my version as the final and only copy for legislative review today," said DPP Legislator Trong Chai (
Tsai made the remark after lawmakers failed to advance the referendum legislation at a multiparty negotiation last night.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
Negotiations stalled after pan-blue representatives refused to back up a TSU proposal that the legislative session should go ahead with scrutinizing Chai's draft bill for finalizing the referendum legislation. Although the KMT insisted on pressing ahead with voting for the referendum bill, Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng (
Wang said the KMT and the DPP will continue negotiations on the referendum bill.
The fourth bill to be passed was the draft organic law of the Executive Yuan's Financial Monitoring and Management Committee (
The special session had concluded the Real-Estate Securitization Statute on Wednesday, the first bill of the six major bills passed by the legislature.
The lawmaking body also decided to postpone revisions to the Statute Regarding the Establishment and Management of the Financial Reconstruction Fund (
The legislative party caucuses could not start multiparty negotiation for referendum legislation until 8pm after an uproar erupted between the DPP and the other major parties over the bill when it was presented by DPP Legislator Trong Chai (蔡同榮).
The lawmaking body passed the Statute Governing Establishment and Management of Free Ports (自由貿易港區設置及管理條例) after a legislative showdown.
Legislators vetoed a clause abolishing the minimum wage for migrant workers in prospective free-port areas. The version of the bill which was approved mandated that employers in these designated zones will need to pay their non-Taiwanese workers in accordance with the minimum wage laid out by the Labor Standards Law (勞基法).
The free-port legislation brought hopes of renewed growth to Kaohsiung harbor.
The Agricultural Financial Law (農業金融法) also cleared the legislative floor after the Ministry of Finance compromised on rules regarding the conditions for returning the management of 36 credit cooperatives to farmers' and fishermen's associations.
Amendments to Statute Governing the Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例) have been delayed to the next legislative session, which will convene on Sept. 5.
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