In a recent update, the Finance Ministry has officially communicated to the Parliament that the budgets of newly established ministries will be submitted on Monday. This announcement comes amidst the ongoing debate on the state budget, originally crafted by the previous government, which commenced in Parliament yesterday. Notably, the Parliament approved the extension of sessions until all members expressing a desire to contribute to the budget discussions have had their say.
During the session, Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, presiding as the session's speaker, disclosed the Finance Ministry's notice regarding the submission of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year by Monday, encompassing the financial allocations for the newly formed ministries. Ghafoor emphasized that the budget deliberations would persist until the arrival of the new budgets and revealed plans for an additional session of the budget debate, scheduled for tomorrow, despite Thursdays not traditionally being parliamentary session days.
The atmosphere within the Parliament became highly charged by the end of today's session. Tensions escalated when MP Hassan Zareer, expressing visible frustration, claimed to have missed the opportunity to participate in the budget debate due to his attendance at a budget committee meeting. Zareer interrupted ongoing debates, grabbing the microphone during Maafannu MP Ibrahim Rasheed's speech and using offensive language in his outburst.
Efforts were made by fellow members to restrain Zareer; however, he continued to disrupt proceedings until the conclusion of the session.
Meanwhile, several members of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) advocated for the release of former President Abdulla Yameen. As of now, the specific members supporting this call remain unclear. The parliamentary dynamics remain intense and unpredictable as the budget debate unfolds amidst these developments.
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