FY2026 general budget plan advances to committee review

Taipei, April 21 (CNA) After more than six months in limbo, the Cabinet's general budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 was sent to committee review Tuesday, after Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) briefed the Legislature on its planning.

Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), who presided over the session, announced that the proposal would be sent to the Finance Committee and distributed to other committees in accordance with a set schedule.

Ruling and opposition party caucuses reached a consensus on April 15 to invite Cho to present the budget and take questions on Tuesday before referring it to committee.

They also agreed that the Cabinet should, within six months of the start of the review, propose bills to provide pay raises for active-duty military personnel and pension increases for retired police officers and firefighters.

Earlier in the day, Cho briefed lawmakers on the compilation of the FY2026 budget and answered questions, including on the outlook for pay raises for active-duty military personnel and pension increases for retired police officers and firefighters.

Cho said the government has raised pay for military personnel, civil servants and public school teachers four times since 2016, marking a cumulative increase of 14 percent.

He said certain budget items have been deferred due to concerns over parity among public servants and constitutional issues, adding that the Cabinet petitioned the Constitutional Court for an interpretation and a provisional injunction on Aug. 22, 2025.

Although the Legislature passed bills increasing pensions for police officers and firefighters and raising the salaries of active-duty military personnel in 2025, with both signed into law and countersigned by the president and premier, the Cabinet has yet to earmark related funds.

Cho said future salary adjustments will be guided by the principles of institutional soundness, legitimacy, fairness and fiscal sustainability, including reviewing mechanisms to better reflect price changes and refining professional allowances.