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After resignation, East Timor PM prepared to stay until deadlock solved

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Brisbane Times - February 26, 2020

Nelson de la Cruz, Dili – The Prime Minister of East Timor says he is prepared to stay in office until a solution can be found "to guarantee government activities in our country".

Jose Maria de Vasconcelos, who goes by his nom de guerre Taur Matan Ruak, sent a letter of resignation to President Francisco Guterres, on Tuesday after the collapse of a coalition supporting him in parliament.

Ruak has repeatedly failed to secure passage of a budget for 2020 after the largest party in his coalition, the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) party of independence hero Xanana Gusmao, withdrew support.

"I have sent a [resignation] letter to the President," Ruak said.

He had been backed by a three-party coalition, the Alliance of Change for Progress (AMP), that won 34 of the 65 seats up for grabs in May 2018, the country's fifth election since independence from Indonesia in 2002.

But there has been occasional political deadlock and growing tension after the President, who belongs to the opposition Fretilin party, rejected some ministers proposed by Gusmao, over accusations of corruption.

On Saturday, Gusmao, East Timor's first president and a former prime minister, announced a new six-party coalition controlling 34 seats without Ruak's party. Gusmao said it would prepare to form a new government.

"It is set up to resolve the current political deadlock," Gusmao said. "These six political parties met to put hands together in order to go ahead and form a new government."

Asia's youngest democracy has been beset by political instability in recent years, hampering efforts to reduce poverty, stamp out corruption and develop its rich oil and gas resources. The energy sector accounted for about 60 per cent of gross domestic product in 2014 and contributed more than 90 per cent of government revenue.

– Reuters

Source: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/asia/after-resignation-east-timor-pm-prepared-to-stay-till-deadlock-solved-20200226-p544iq.html

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