Dili, Sept. 15, 2026 (Lusa) - The President of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, on Tuesday called for a swifter and more accessible justice system, including in cases of economic exploitation.
«We need a swifter and more accessible justice system and effective mechanisms for conflict resolution, including economic and commercial disputes,» reads a speech by Ramos-Horta, released to the press as part of the opening of the fourth legislative session of the sixth legislature.
The 30-page speech – his last to parliament during his current term of office, which ends in May 2027 – reflects on the progress made by Timor-Leste and the challenges facing the country's future, but was not read in full by the Head of State at the ceremony.
«We must strengthen legal certainty, simplify licensing, improve regulatory consistency, avoid double taxation, promote investment protection and develop commercial arbitration mechanisms in line with international best practice,» emphasised José Ramos-Horta in a 30-page speech released to the press and handed out at the ceremony, though he did not read it in full during his address.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate also stated that legal certainty must protect citizens and small and medium-sized enterprises from situations of economic exploitation.
«When formal credit is unavailable or inaccessible, some people end up resorting to informal loans,» said the President.
Ramos-Horta cited cases where, in the context of informal lending, extremely high interest rates are charged, placing individuals and small businesses in situations of debt that are «virtually impossible to overcome».
«It is therefore urgent that the Government and parliament assess and strengthen the legal framework governing informal credit, usury and abusive debt collection practices, establishing clear limits, reporting mechanisms, protection for victims and effective sanctions for illegal practices,» he stated.
He also called for the creation of better conditions to ensure that farmers, workers and micro and small businesses have access to «responsible and reasonably priced» formal credit.
«We cannot build a productive economy if our entrepreneurs are unable to finance their businesses,» he said, adding that credit should be an instrument of development and not a trap that condemns families and businesses to «endless cycles of debt».
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