ASDT to stand for AMP; Horta not thinking of an early election – Televizaun Timor-Leste

ASDT to stand for AMP; Horta not thinking of an early election – Televizaun Timor-Leste
Even though ASDT has given signals that it will leave the Alliance Majority in Parliament (AMP), five of its members in Parliament continue to give their support to AMP to govern the country.

“The decision in the Parliament belongs to the bench [of ASDT]. We continue to support AMP. If they [ASDT-Fretilin] have signed an accord outside of the Parliament … that’s up to them.

The president of the party said it would leave the AMP. But as MPs we have the right to continue to support AMP,” said ASDT MP José Manuel Carrascalão on Tuesday (6/5) in the National Parliament.

Mr. Carrascalão also said that many militants in the party [ASDT] disagreed with the signing the coalition accord.

ASDT has signed an accord with Fretilin as an agreement and commitment between the two parties to form new government on May 1, 2008. In the accord, entitled Accord of 1 May, the two parties agreed to form a strong coalition to rule the country in the national interest.

President José Ramos-Horta said that he is not thinking about early elections which are preoccupying others with now.

PR Horta said that the recent Government led by AMP is a Government with legitimacy, a Government he chose to rule the country.

“An early election gives no opportunity to the legitimate Government which I chose to implement their programs for the people. At the moment I am not preoccupied with early elections but am thinking about holding a dialogue between the Government and the big party, Fretilin,” said PR Horta on Tuesday (6/5) in on his visit to the petitioners in Aitarak-Laran, Dili.