The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will support holding an extraordinary legislative session, party officials said yesterday, although they signaled caution about whether they would approve the government's annual budget request.
KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) favors holding an extra legislative session, but he may not focus on the government's annual budget request during the session, KMT Spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) said.
Friday was the last day of the fourth legislative session. The legislature was paralyzed after the KMT attempted to pass an amendment to the Organic Law of the Central Election Commission (中央選舉委員會組織法).
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vehemently opposed the move, saying it undermined the constitutional system. The DPP instead tried to review the budget bill, without success.
The KMT's proposed Central Election Commission (CEC) amendment would wrest control of CEC appointments from the Executive Yuan, requiring the commission's members to be appointed along partisan lines, in proportion to the number of legislative seats held by each party.
Because of the constitutional spat, no bills were passed during the final session, including the annual budget.
It was the first time in the legislature's history that the central government's annual budget remained stalled, despite the fact that the year the budget covered had begun.
If the legislature is to approve funds for the operation of the government this year, an extra legislative session is necessary.
Su yesterday said that Ma still thinks the CEC amendment should be discussed prior to the budget bill.
The People First Party (PFP), however, said yesterday it was opposed to holding an extra session altogether.
PFP Legislator Hwang Yih-jiau (
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said his party would discuss a strategy for the extra session with the Taiwan Solidarity Union.
The two caucuses would initiate a proposal on whether to hold an extended session if they could reach a consensus on the priority of the bills, he said.
Meanwhile, Premier Su Tseng-chang (
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
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