Opposition Blasts Budget Over Lack of Raises for Soldiers, Emergency Services

TaiwanPlus News

Taiwan's opposition parties are concerned that the Cabinet's 2026 budget proposal does not include salary raises for soldiers, police officers and firefighters as stipulated in previously approved bills. Premier Cho Jung-tai says the way that the pay raises were approved may not have followed legislative procedure and is requesting a constitutional interpretation before implementing them into the budget.

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00:00Taiwan's 2026 budget proposal comes to a standstill, facing opposition in the legislature.

00:06The Taiwan People's Party called the 100 billion U.S. dollar budget illegal and filed a motion for reconsideration

00:12because the budget lacks provisions for pay raises for soldiers, police officers and firefighters that had already been approved.

00:20TPP Chair Huang Guochang said this was especially an insult since members of these services have been working hard at relief efforts for a recent flood disaster.

00:29Thank you very much.

00:59The proposed budget for next year is an increase of 3.5 billion U.S. dollars compared to this

01:13year's, and it also includes a defense budget that surpasses 3 percent of GDP. But a plan to

01:18raise volunteer soldiers' monthly bonus to 1,000 U.S. dollars is not included due to concerns about

01:24the way the legislature passed the pay raise bill, which the cabinet says requires a

01:29constitutional interpretation to implement. The cabinet has said that the defense budget

01:34increase provides other benefits for service members and that it wants to increase the

01:38wages for all public servants. In the legislature on Tuesday, Premier Zhou Rongtai faced heated

01:43questions as he sought approval for the budget from the opposition-led body.

01:54This is not a matter of fact.

01:55This is a matter of fact.

01:56which means that the board will not be significated by the budget.

01:57On Sunday, Premier

01:58rokandi

02:00Mr. P increasing the power of the budget to work.

02:02Mr. P deprives the budget to support the budget.

02:04That's very important, Mr. P?

02:05Mr. Pевой

02:12Mr. P increasing the support of policies and policies.

02:15Mr. Palamuala

02:17Mr. Pевой

02:18Mr. Pевой

02:20Mr. Pевой

02:22Mr. Pевой

02:23The legislature can freeze or propose cuts to parts of the budget.

02:40Premier Zhou Rongtai has urged legislative speaker Han Goyu

02:43to invite the cabinet for a meeting to discuss the budget with lawmakers.

02:47But with a divided government and different priorities,

02:49it may be some time before the budget is approved.

02:52Chris Ma and Tiffany Wong for Taiwan Plus.

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