In a memorandum submitted to the president on Tuesday evening, the alliance of opposition parties urged the president to block three ordinances related to anti-money laundering, arguing that the caretaker government is conspiring to run the country through ordinances. “We drew the president’s attention, saying promulgation of those ordinances would set a bad precedent,” said CPN-ML Chairman C P Mainali.[break]
The opposition parties had reached the president’s office to submit their memorandum after holding a joint meeting at NC party headquarters, Sanepa. The meeting concluded that the government’s move to bring such ordinances was “unconstitutional” and vowed to thwart any such move.
Three different bills related to anti-money laundering that were tabled in parliament earlier had failed to get endorsed due to opposition from the Mohan Baidya-led faction of the UCPN (Maoist). The opposition parties have accused the Maoists of not taking initiatives to endorse the bills through political consensus.
The opposition parties met the president a few hours after Finance Minister Barshaman Pun apprised him about the government’s preparations to bring a new budget through ordinance.
Minister Pun had told the president that the government was all set to unveil a full-fledged budget, stating that inability to come up with complete fiscal programs would be against the interests of the country and the people.
“This budget is not to serve the purpose of the finance minister. It is to serve the interests of the government, country, people and other stakeholders,” Minister Pun was quoted as saying to the president.
The government’s preparations to bring a full-fledged budget means it is preparing to announce budgetary programs, incorporating, among other things, populist policies that will tend to sway swing votes.
According to the president’s press advisor, Rajendra Dahal, the president asked Minister Pun to bring the new budget through political consensus and also to take into account the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections scheduled for November 22. “The president has also asked the finance minister not to include programs that would have long-term implications as ordinances are normally meant for six months,” Dahal told Republica.
The president’s suggestion to the finance minister is in line with the suggestions made to him by six various prominent economists, who were invited to the president’s office for discussion on Tuesday.
The economists told President Yadav that major political parties should agree on a common minimum economic agenda before pressing ahead with any issues related to the economy at this critical juncture. “The budget should be based on a common minimum agenda,” Bimal Koirala, former chief secretary and one of the participants of the meeting, told Republica. “If this is not done, the budget introduced by the government would not be considered lawful by many.”
He also said the size of the budget should not exceed that of the current fiscal year. “It should not launch populist programs aimed at distorting the economic framework of the country.”
Prithvi Raj Ligal, former vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission, echoed Koirala.
“The current government’s main responsibilities are to ensure peace and security and conduct polls. So its budgetary programs should be confined to these issues,” he said.
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