Setting the stage for an early showdown over the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, opposition lawmakers demanded yesterday that the DPP government decide whether to continue the project before review of the 2001 budget begins.
Opposition lawmakers hinted yesterday that they may refuse to take up the budget bill if the Executive Yuan decides to halt the nuclear power plant.
They argue that the Executive Yuan has no right to discontinue the project's budget unilaterally -- even if it decides to scrap the plant -- because the legislature passed a budget for the project in 1994 and reconfirmed it in 1996.
"If the Executive Yuan is able to ignore a budget bill passed by the Legislative Yuan, we wonder if it is necessary for the legislature to review the new budget bill at all," said Her Jyh-huei (
The strategy -- endorsed by leaders of the KMT, People First Party and New Party caucuses and independent representatives -- is intended to bring about a long-awaited answer on the nuclear project by Nov. 3. That's the day originally planned by lawmakers to refer the 2001 budget bill to committees for review.
The DPP caucus has put off deciding on whether to accept the opposition lawmakers' condition until Friday. As a result of the delay, the schedule for the budget's review has been left hanging.
DPP caucus convener Hsu Tain-tsair (
"Both the Executive Yuan and DPP understand that the outcome to Fourth Nuclear Power Plant controversy should be ascertained early, but the central government's budget bill can never be held hostage," Hsu said.
The fate of the nuclear power plant has been a concern of lawmakers since the Ministry of Economic Affairs completed its re-evaluation of the project in late September, recommending a halt to the plant.
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
Chang has also said that he disagrees with the stance held by his predecessor, former premier Tang Fei (唐飛). Tang said he believed that the Executive Yuan lacked a legal basis to amend the plant's budget passed by the legislature.
Chang said that discontinuing the budget would not subject the Executive Yuan to any legal liability, though it would have to accept political responsibility.
During a meeting with a group of KMT legislators yesterday, Chang reiterated that the Executive Yuan hopes to muster a higher level of public consensus on the issue before making its final decision, so as to lessen the possible impact on society.
"This is not a matter of ideology," Chang said.
It is a long-standing goal of the anti-nuclear DPP to scrap the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant project, and it is widely believed that Chang will follow the party line.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued a sea alert for Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) as it threatened vessels operating in waters off the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Bashi Channel and south of the Taiwan Strait. A land alert is expected to be announced some time between late last night and early this morning, the CWA said. As of press time last night, Taoyuan, as well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes. Except for a few select districts in Taipei and New Taipei City, all other areas and city
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