PHILIPSBURG:--- During a central committee meeting of Parliament this morning, Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina introduced the second draft of the 2025 budget, outlining the unusual circumstances that necessitated its reintroduction and emphasizing the need for continued collaboration between Government and Parliament.
The Prime Minister began by acknowledging the unprecedented scenario surrounding the budget process. The original 2025 budget was unanimously approved by Parliament on January 17, following extensive discussions and amendments introduced by both Parliament and the Government. However, technical issues during the ratification process prevented the budget from being finalized.
“Government encountered obstacles during the ratification process, despite our efforts to align with Parliament's approval,” Dr. Mercelina explained. Over several months, the Government explored all legal avenues to resolve the situation, providing updates to Parliament, most notably on April 14. Unfortunately, these efforts revealed that the technical issues could not be remedied without restarting the process entirely.
To address the complications, the Council of Ministers resolved to make necessary adjustments to ensure smoother handling of the budget in the future and to restart the legislative process for establishing the 2025 budget. The new draft was prepared by the Ministry of Finance and circulated to all relevant stakeholders, including the Council of Advice and the Committee for Financial Supervision (CFT).
Dr. Mercelina expressed his gratitude for the productive and respectful collaboration between Government and Parliament during the initial discussions earlier this year, describing it as “an almost perfect display of Parliament exercising its budgetary rights and Government fulfilling its obligation to answer to Parliament.” He called for the same spirit of cooperation as lawmakers now deliberate on the revised draft.
The Prime Minister concluded his introduction by requesting permission for the Minister of Finance to present a detailed technical explanation of the draft budget. A public meeting is scheduled for next week, where the budget content will be reviewed in greater detail.
Parliamentary discussions today mark a critical step in moving forward with the 2025 budget, as both the Government and Parliament aim to overcome the challenges posed by the technical issues while maintaining a focus on accountability and mutual respect.
