Results of the 2023 Open Budget Survey

Press Release

Progress is Possible with Better Transparency and Public Participation in the Budget Process

 Liga ba blog ida ne'e iha Tetum.  Link to PDF of this press release 

From 2020 to 2022, Timor-Leste did not improve its transparency score, primarily due to the Government's budgeting decisions – collecting revenue, providing essential services, repaying loans. These concerns have important consequences for everyone in society. When the government provides and disseminates timely information through accessible channels in language that everyone can understand, it encourages policies to spend public money in the public interest.

The commitment to improving transparency remains weak

The Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2023 is an independent survey conducted every two years using the same indicators to evaluate 125 countries worldwide, including Timor-Leste. On 29 May 2024, the International Budget Partnership (IBP) launched the results of the 2023 OBS, which examined events in 2021 and 2022 related to preparation of the 2023 State Budget by the VIII Constitutional Government, and the implementation and oversight of earlier budgets.

Overall, the worldwide average transparency score increased by 24% since the previous OBS two years ago, but Timor-Leste's transparency score dropped by 15 points, almost as low as it was a decade ago. This situation demands close attention from the Government of Timor-Leste. For many years, the Government has repeatedly promised to improve the effectiveness of transparency system, from budget planning to implementation, to ensure that all information related to public spending is accessible to everyone.

Nevertheless, there have been some improvements in the oversight score, which increased by 12 points compared to two years ago, reaching 68 out of 100. This score is better than those of Indonesia and Malaysia. Additionally, the participation score increased by four points from the previous period, now standing at 11 out of 100. This indicates that the Government has begun to improve and provide space for the public in some budgetary processes, but this score remains very low compared to other countries in Asia.

Although the Government has taken initiatives to promote better transparency, it still lacks a strong commitment to significantly improve it. This has been noted since 2022, when the VIII Government made inconsistent changes to legal frameworks by proposing the Budget Framework Law, which was later amended by the IX Government, eliminating the Major Planning Options Law in 2023. This removes a chance for the public and National Parliament to discuss priorities and programs which could help the Government prepare its budget proposal, and the Government no longer discusses long-term plans.

OBS 2023 Indicators for Timor-Leste

Transparency

The transparency score measures public accessibility to information on how the Government raises and spends public resources. The investigation of these processes mainly focuses on the availability of online access, timeliness, and the provision of detailed and comprehensive information in the eight key documents of the State Budget books.

In 2022, although the Timor-Leste Government managed to publish the 2023 Pre-Budget Statement and the 2022 Mid-Year Review online and in a timely manner, these publications did not provide the same level of detail and completeness as other documents such as the Year-End Report, In-Year reports, Citizens’ Budget, and Executive Budget Proposal. Therefore, Timor-Leste only scored 37 out of 100.

Public Participation

The score for public participation measures the opportunities for public involvement in various stages of the budgetary process: formulation, enactment, execution and oversight. Timor-Leste's public participation score is 11 out of 100, and still lower than countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Budget Oversight

Budget oversight is measured by the functions of legislatures and audit institutions, which also play a significant role in the budgetary process by conducting control and oversight to ensure accountability throughout the process.

Timor-Leste scored 67 out of 100, six points better than two years ago. This score is considered adequate or satisfactory.

Recommendations that the State of Timor-Leste Should Put into Practice

Government needs to ensure that budgetary information is detailed, aligned completely with the program-based budget, and also to ensure that all information is timely and easily accessible. This includes publication of the budget books, especially the In-year Reports, Mid-year Report, and Year-end Report, as well as the information shared via the Transparency Portal.

Based on the public participation score, we recommend that Government expand mechanisms in the budgetary process from formulation through execution to involve civil society organizations, media, and the public. This involves inclusive ways to encourage participation and ensure that all citizens can have input to and follow all processes.

We also recommend that the National Parliament provide mechanisms for the public and civil society organizations to present their analyses and perspectives prior to Parliamentary approval of Government proposals, including ensuring that hearings are open to media. Furthermore, opportunities should be provided for the public and civil society organizations to accompany discussions of audit reports.

We also encourage oversight bodies to examine the budget execution and audit reports, and to publish information obtained during the process. When Government takes steps to improve transparency, it can help all citizens support Government's overall efforts to prevent or avoid Timor-Leste from falling over a fiscal cliff.

Finally, we urge the Government to consider the challenges that Timor-Leste faces -- reducing unnecessary expenditures and curtailing the growth of state spending, in order to address issues that truly affect people's lives and the domestic economy. 

More specific recommendations are in La’o Hamutuk’s open letter to Government officials. More detailed information on OBS 2023 is in the IBP website, the OBS 2023 report for Timor-Leste, and the questionnaire.

Rezultadu Open Budget Survey 2023

Komunikadu Imprensa / Press Release

Progresu Sei Posivel Bainhira Hadi’ak Transparénsia no Partisipasaun Públiku iha Prosesu Orsamentál

 Link to this blog in English.   Liga ba komunikadu ida ne'e hanesan PDF 

Dezde 2020 ba 2022, Timor-Leste la konsege hatudu mudansa signifikativu iha valór transparénsia – hirak ne’e hotu relasiona ho desizaun Governu nian kona ba orsamentál – Taxa ne’ebé presiza rekolla, servisu saida mak tenke fornese, empréstimu hirak mak sai hanesan obrigasaun atu selu. Preokupasaun hirak ne’e iha konsekuénsia importante ba ema hotu iha sosiedade. Bainhira governu fornese informasaun no fó sai liu husi kanál ne’ebé hakerek iha lian ne’ebé ema hotu bele komprende no asesu hodi atualiza ba polítika sira ne’ebé governu estabelese hodi asegura katak osan povu nian gasta duni ba interese povu nian.

Seidauk hatudu kometimentu forte atu hadi’ak transparénsia

Open Budget Survey – OBS 2023 – nudár survey independente ne’ebé realiza kada periodu tinan rua liu husi sasukat komparativu iha nivel mundiál ba nasaun 125 inklui Timor-Leste. Iha 29 Maiu 2024, Organizasaun Internasionál Parseiru Orsamentál (International Budget Partnership – IBP) realiza lansamentu rezultadu husi Survey Orsamentu Nakloke (Open Budget Survey - OBS) tinan 2023 nian ne’ebé avalia husi prosesu preparasaun OJE 2023 ne’ebé iha jestaun Governu VIII nian to’o iha implementasaun no fiskalizasaun.

Jerálmente, valór transparénsia aumenta ba 24% iha nivel mundiál, enkuantu pozisaun transparénsia Timor-Leste nian tun pontu 15 kompara ho OBS ikus (kona-ba tinan 2020) no kuaze hanesan ho valór iha dékada ida liu ba iha tinan 2012. Situasaun ne’e, presiza hetan atensaun aas husi Governu Timor-Leste, tanba iha tinan barak nia laran ona mak Governu repete atu hadi’ak sistema transparénsia ho efetivu liu husi planeamentu orsamentál to’o iha implementasaun sira hodi asegura katak informasaun sira hotu ne’ebé liga ba gastu osan públiku nian sei nakloke ba ema hotu.

Mezmu nune’e, iha mudansa balu ba valór fiskalizasaun ne’ebé aumenta pontu 12 kompara tinan rua liu ba ho valór 68 husi 100, valór ne’e ita bele konsidera di’ak liu kompara ho nasaun Indonézia no Malázia. Aleinde ne’e, ba valór partisipasaun aumenta pontu haat kompara husi periodu antes ho valór 11 husi 100, signifika katak Governu hahú hadi’ak no fó espasu públiku iha prosesu orsamentál balu, maibé valór ida ne’e nafatin ki’ik liu kompara ho nasaun sira balu iha Ásia. 

Maske iha Governu hola inisiativa balu atu promove di’ak liu transparénsia, Governu rasik seidauk iha kometimentu forte ba hadi’ak transparénsia, hirak ne’e ita nota dezde tinan 2022 bainhira Governu nia inkonsisténsia ba mudansa iha enkuadramentu legal sira hodi propoin lei Enkuadramentu Orsamentál ne’ebé ikus mai halo alterasaun fila fali ba Lei Orsamentu no Jestaun Finanseira Nu. 15/2023 ne’ebé elimina Lei Grande Opsaun Planeamentu. Ida ne’e taka oportunidade ba diskusaun iha públiku no Parlamentu Nasional kona-ba prioridade no programa sira, ne'ebé bele ajuda Governu atu prepara proposta OJE iha kada tinan no Governu rasik la konsege diskute kona ba planu ba longu prazu nian. 

Indikadór iha OBS 2023 ba Timor-Leste

Transparénsia

Valór Transparénsia sukat husi asesibilidade públiku ba iha informasaun sira kona ba oinsá Governu hasa’e no gasta rekursu públiku. Investigasaun ba prosesu hirak ne’e haree liu husi disponibilidade asesu online, haktuir ba tempu no informasaun detallu no komprensivu iha dokumentu importante ualu husi livru Orsamentu Estadu. 

Tinan ida ne’e, maske Governu Timor-Leste konsege públika dokumentu Esteitmentu molok proposta OGE (Pre-Budget Statement) ba OJE 2023 nian no Relatóriu Tinan Klaran (Mid-Year Review) ba OJE 2022 nian iha online no tuir tempu, livru hirak ne’e la konsege fornese informasaun sira ho detallu no kompletu hanesan inklui mós livru sira seluk hanesan Relatóriu Anuál (Year-End Report), Relatóriu Trimestral (In-Year Reports), Orsamentu ba Sidadaun (Citizens Budget), no Livru Proposta OJE (Executive’s Budget Proposal). Nune’e, Timor-Leste hetan de’it pontu 37 husi 100.

Partisipasaun Públiku

Sasukat valór partisipasaun públiku nian avalia husi oportunidade ba partisipasaun públiku iha etapa iha prosesu orsamentál sira hahú husi formulasaun, aprovasaun, implementasaun no fiskalizasaun. Valór ba partisipasaun públiku Timor-Leste nian mak 11 husi 100, no Timor-Leste nafatin ki’ik kompara ho nasaun Filipina, Malázia, Tailándia, Indonézia no Vietname. 

Fiskalizasaun Orsamentál

Prosesu sasukat ba fiskalizasaun avalia liu husi funsaun lejisladór sira no instituisaun auditór sira ne’ebé iha knaar atu akompaña prosesu orsamentál tanba sira halo kontrolu no fiskalizasaun no asegura akontabilidade. 

Timor-Leste hetan pontu 67 husi 100, valor ida ne’e hatudu aumenta pontu 6 kompara ho relatóriu OBS 2021 no konsidera adekuadu ka nato’on

Rekomendasaun ne’ebé Estadu Timor-Leste Presiza Tau iha Pratika

Governu presiza asegura katak informasaun orsamentál sira detallu, kompletu aliña ho orsamentu bazeia programa no mós asegura katak informasaun sira ne’e hotu fasil atu asesu no publika haktuir ba tempu ba livru OJE sira liu-liu ba livru Relatóriu Trimestral (In-year Reports), Relatóriu Tinan Klaran (Mid-year Report), no Relatóriu Tinan Ikus (Year-End Report) no informasaun sira hotu ne’ebé públika iha portál transparénsia.

Bazeia ba rezultadu husi valór partisipasaun públiku nian, rekomenda ba Governu tomak atu haboot mekanizmu sira iha prosesu formulasaun to’o iha implementasaun iha prosesu orsamentál sira hodi involve mós organizasaun sosiedade sivíl, média no públiku inklui konsidera asuntu inkluzaun atu partisipa no asegura katak sidadaun sira hotu bele atualizadu no akompaña prosesu sira hotu.

Rekomenda mós ba Parlamentu Nasionál sira atu fó biban ba públiku no organizasaun sosiedade sivíl sira atu hato’o sira nia analiza, no perspetiva molok halo aprovasaun ba proposta husi Governu, inklui asegura katak audiénsia hirak ne’e nakloke ba média sira. Aleinde ne’e, fó mós biban ba públiku no organizasaun sosiedade sivíl atu akompaña durante prosesu diskusaun ba relatóriu audit nian. 

Ami enkoraja órgaun fiskalizadór sira atu halo ezamina mós ba implementasaun orsamentál no relatóriu audit sira no publika informasaun sira ne’ebé konsege identifika iha prosesu ezaminasaun. Tanba bainhira Governu halo esforsu atu hadi’ak valór transparénsia iha OBS bele ajuda sidadaun sira hotu suporta ba Governu nia esforsu tomak atu prevene ka hasees Timor-Leste husi rai-naruk fiskál, haktuir ba informasaun detallu sira iha ami nia karta aberta iha ne'e. 

Ikus liu, ami Governu atu konsidera défise ne’ebé Timor-Leste hasoru, atu redús despeza sira la nesesáriu no proporsaun ba despeza estadu ne’ebé kontinua aas ba bei-beik hodi foka asuntu ne’ebé realistíku ba povu nia moris no ekonomia rai-laran. Bele asesu informasaun kle’an liu kona ba OBS 2023, relatóriu kona-ba TL, no questionnaire.

Bele asesu dokumentu sira kona-ba Orsamentu Jeral Estadu 2024 RDTL nian iha ne'e.