Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer has decided not to attend the parliament session to present the budget for 2024.

According to the law, the budget for the next financial year has to be presented by October every year. The budget will be presented by the Finance Minister as per the law. According to parliamentary rules, parliament will go for recess after completing parliament sittings by November.

Finance Minister Ameer sought the attorney general’s legal opinion on the no-confidence motion against the speaker when the budget was presented to the parliament. Ameer decided not to attend the session on the advice of the Attorney General (AG).

Minister Ameer took the decision after the AG gave legal advice that the no-confidence motion against Speaker Mohamed Nasheed could not be taken up without the matter being decided. Nasheed’s no-confidence motion was scheduled for the last two sittings of the parliament, but the session could not take place due to the Deputy Speaker taking a medical leave.

MDP has also requested that the no-confidence motion against Nasheed be placed on the agenda for today’s meeting.

Any other business of the House will be allowed only after a decision is taken on the issue.

The party said in a statement.

According to the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Strategy Report, the total budget estimate for 2024 is MVR 50.6 billion based on baseline expenditure, expenditure reduction measures, and new projects and programs included in the budget.

This is 5.3 per cent more than the budget for 2023, the report said. This year, MVR 42.8 billion has been allocated for the fiscal year.

The government and the President-elect’s Office are also carrying out the transition process when the budget is presented this year. The Finance Ministry had earlier said that the budget for the next year will also include the suggestions made by the elected government.