Total budget review delayed nearly 300 days; 5 committees, 11 units unexamined

Taiwan's legislative budget review process is significantly delayed, approaching 300 days without full examination of the current year's budget. Five legislative committees and eleven government units have yet to complete their budget reviews, primarily impacting departments under the purview of committee conveners from the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP).

The delays are drawing criticism, particularly from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). DPP legislator Lin Chu-yin questioned the opposition's actions, stating, "Opposition parties claim they want the government to propose laws and support industries, yet they indiscriminately paralyze the total budget review. This is not only empty talk but can even be called schizophrenia."

Specific areas affected include the Ministry of National Defense's "Multi-purpose Use of Administrative Drones Plan" and related equipment procurement, totaling 1.3 billion NT dollars, which could impact combat readiness. The Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Integrated Plan for the Development of the Unmanned Vehicle Industry," with a budget of 3 billion NT dollars, is also stalled. This budget is intended for the application of drones by central and local governments in areas such as policing, water management, agriculture, and forestry.

Legislative committees led by KMT and TPP lawmakers are responsible for reviewing the budgets of these affected units. For instance, the Interior Committee, led by KMT convener Liao Hsien-hsiang, has not scheduled any agenda for the entire week. Other committees, including Education and Culture, Transportation, Foreign Affairs and National Defense, and Economic Affairs, also have outstanding budget reviews, with some scheduled for later this month. The DPP argues that the opposition's obstruction of these budgets, especially for drone development, contradicts their public calls for such advancements.

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Opposition parties claim they want the government to propose laws and support industries, yet they indiscriminately paralyze the total budget review. This is not only empty talk but can even be called schizophrenia.