On Thursday, Premier Cho Jung-tai delivered a statement regarding the Legislative Yuan's passage of amendments to three laws last week—the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures, and the Constitutional Court Procedure Act. The premier said that these amendments will have a huge impact on people's rights and Taiwan's five-Yuan system of constitutional government, with even more severe consequences for the finances of the central government.
Regarding the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures, Premier Cho said the new version of the law focuses only on money allocation without addressing authority or responsibilities, and its rushed passage with no detailed calculations was a major flaw in the legislative process. He also questioned whether legislators' passage of bills to protect their own interests honors the electoral contract between the people and their representatives, whether it upholds the spirit of constitutional government, and how it could limit the people's right to recall elected officials. Furthermore, the premier said that, due to the Legislature's failure to approve any of the recent Constitutional Court justice nominees, the amendments in the Constitutional Court Procedure Act will effectively prevent the Constitutional Court from functioning.
In light of the reasons above, the Executive Yuan will take the appropriate position of protecting the various rights and interests at stake, and upon receiving the official documentation will consult with experts and scholars to explore potential remedies to address the new amendments.
