While opposition lawmakers yesterday demanded the immediate resumption of construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the justices noted that the Executive Yuan was not bound by the legislature's recent resolution that opposes the decision to halt the project, as the Executive Yuan has administrative authority over the enforcement of budgets and is held politically responsible for changes to budgets.
In view of the latest development -- the opposition lawmakers' demand -- the justices said talks should take place first so that a decision can be made on whether to resume the project or not.
In other words, the justices think that it is not reasonable for the Executive Yuan to reverse its decision to halt the project before negotiations even begin.
The negotiations are required to sort out whether the Executive Yuan's decision [to halt the project] should be maintained.
"What's the point of negotiations if the Executive Yuan has already decided to back down and resume the project now?" one of the justices said.
The ruling by the Council of Grand Justices on Jan. 15 stated the Executive Yuan was obligated to "report" to the legislature over its decision to change major nuclear power policies by halting the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.
However, the ruling did not say the Executive Yuan had to gain the legislature's consent for the policy change.
Central to recent debates on the issue is whether the legislature's resolution -- against halting the controversial project -- is binding on the Executive Yuan.
The council's ruling stated that if the legislature passes a resolution opposing the Executive Yuan's policy change, it is not only an expression of disagreement with the decision, but a "confirmation on effect of the budget in question."
However, the ambiguous terms used in the ruling have allowed both the pro- and anti-nuclear groups to manipulate the ruling is to their own advantage. While the legislature maintains its resolution is absolutely binding, the Executive Yuan disagrees and believes it still has the final say on the issue.
In view of the dispute, the justices made it clear yesterday that the Executive Yuan is not necessarily bound by the legislature's resolution, though it should hold due respect for the resolution and take it into account.
According to the justices, under the check-and-balance principle, the legislature is in a position to supervise the dos and don'ts of the Executive Yuan. Nevertheless, they noted, since the Executive is the initiator and enforcer of government budgets, it has a final say on whether an expensive nuclear project should be scrapped or not.
After all, they said, it is the Executive Yuan which has to shoulder the major responsibility for the budget policies. It would be awkward, they said, if the legislature -- which is not held responsible for the success or failure of policies -- should decide policy direction for the Executive, the justices said.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
SHOT IN THE ARM: The new system can be integrated with Avenger and Stinger missiles to bolster regional air defense capabilities, a defense ministry report said Domestically developed Land Sword II (陸射劍二) missiles were successfully launched and hit target drones during a live-fire exercise at the Jiupeng Military Base in Pingtung County yesterday. The missiles, developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST), were originally scheduled to launch on Tuesday last week, after the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday long weekend, but were postponed to yesterday due to weather conditions. Local residents and military enthusiasts gathered outside the base to watch the missile tests, with the first one launching at 9:10am. The Land Sword II system, which is derived from the Sky Sword II (天劍二) series, was turned