The president of the Chamber of Deputies Rafaela Alburquerque said that she has received instructions from party leader former President Joaquín Balaguer to not support the passing of the tax reform bills during the transition period. The bills have been in Congress since February 1997 and until now had met with opposition from the same PRD congressmen that now want to pass them in the two months time leading to the start of a PRD government in August 2000. Alburquerque said that she has received instructions that PRSC congressmen should not participate in the discussions of the tax reform bills pending in the National Congress. Alburquerque said that Balaguer believes that the reforms should wait for the start of the new authorities in 16 August. She said, nevertheless, that the PRSC party leader instructed party legislators to vote on the bills that had the consensus of the political and social sectors. The PRD recently announced its support to the passing of the bills before the 16 of August start of the PRD administration. The passing of the bills during the transition period is opposed by the ruling PLD party that feels the PRD should wait for the start of the new government.
