National Security Council: Budgeting follows legal procedures and precedents, no evasion of oversight

(Central News Agency, reporter Yeh Su-ping, Taipei, 25th) Opposition lawmakers have questioned the National Security Council's (NSC) budget compilation and the non-disclosure of overseas trip reports. The NSC issued a press release today stating that all budget compilation complies with regulations and follows established practices, and there is absolutely no evasion of oversight.

Regarding the lawmakers' questioning of the non-disclosure of overseas trip reports, the NSC stated that most national security-related overseas travel plans involve sensitive content such as national defense, diplomacy, and international situations. If disclosed, it could affect national interests and external cooperation. This is not a practice unique to any single political party's administration; it has been handled according to the same principles since 2008 to 2016. The primary consideration is to maintain national security and diplomatic flexibility, not to evade oversight.

The NSC stated that it has been following consistent practices for many years, yet it was questioned whether "overseas trips are for party affairs rather than official business." Such claims are not only inconsistent with the facts but also unfair.

Furthermore, regarding the lawmakers' questioning of fund reallocation, the NSC stated that budgets are handled in accordance with Article 63 of the "Budget Act" and the "Principles for the Implementation of the Proviso of Article 63 of the Budget Act" established by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics in 2014. If the Legislative Yuan authorizes agencies to adjust their own budget items, they may handle expenditures according to the law and actual needs. This is a common practice for all agencies for many years, and there is no such thing as evading oversight or being unfamiliar with the regulations.

The NSC emphasized that matters involving overseas trip reports and fund reallocation have been in practice for many years and are not recent additions or special treatments. They thanked lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties for recognizing over the years that national security work concerns the overall national interest and transcends party differences. They also hope that lawmakers will support the NSC's proposed budget for this year to continue improving the NSC's operations, enhance overall strategic response capabilities, and safeguard national security and democratic freedom.