Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) met with Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) on the eve of the new legislative session, seeking his assistance in passing the government's priority bills.
"Since the pan-blue alliance has vowed to put the organic bill of the national communications commission to a vote after the four-month negotiation period ends on Sept. 25, I hope the bill could be dealt with along with the draft amendments to the Organic Law of the Executive Yuan (
Wang responded by saying that he does not see any problem addressing the two bills separately. He promised to ask legislative committees to speed up their review process after the national communications commission bill passes the legislature.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUN, TAIPEI TIMES
Hsieh also asked Wang help push through the review of next year's government budget and special budget requests, preferably by the end of this year.
"We hope the legislature will settle next year's budgets as soon as possible so that economic development won't be impeded and an accurate calculation of economic growth won't be delayed," Hsieh said.
Wang said that although he hopes to wrap up pending bills by the end of November, he does not expect to see much accomplished until December or later, because the legislature will recess ahead of the year-end elections.
Regarding the long-delayed special arms-purchase budget, Wang said that more negotiations are needed to iron out differences among parties, but he is confident that the opposition will take to heart the Executive Yuan's sincerity in moving the budget for Patriot-missile batteries to the regular defense budget.
The opposition parties would also take into consideration the cross-strait military situation, and the nation's financial situation and defense capability while reviewing the special budget, he said.
As for the the Cabinet's eight-year, NT$80 billion flood-fighting package, Hsieh agreed with Wang that it requires careful scrutiny to ensure that every cent is spent wisely.
Hsieh asked whether it would be possible for the legislature to hold additional plenary legislative sittings to the regular ones on Tuesdays and Fridays, but Wang said that it would be difficult because the legislative committees will be preoccupied with their reviews of next year's budget.
However he promised to negotiate with opposition parties to call extra plenary sessions if necessary.
As for President Chen Shui-bian's (
Hsieh's visit to Wang came right after he dropped in on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus meeting, where Vice Premier Wu Rong-i (
Citing Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's triumph in Japan's lower house elections on Sunday, Hsieh said he would push ahead with reform initiatives.
He urged the caucus members to have faith and continue to follow the path of reform.
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