Dili, January 7 (AseanAll)  — The President of the Republic of Timor-Leste , J. Ramos-Horta, received the President of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste , Maria Fernanda Lay, at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace on January 7, 2026 for the first regular meeting of the year.

During the audience, the Speaker of Parliament presented the National Parliament’s strategic work plan for 2026 and extended formal Christmas and New Year greetings to the President of the Republic. The meeting highlighted the strong institutional coordination between the Presidency of the Republic and the National Parliament in aligning national priorities for the upcoming legislative period.

A central topic of the discussion was the urgency of establishing the Supreme Court of Justice, a fundamental priority for the President of the Republic.

Fernanda Lay provided an update on the recruitment process for judges, noting that a specialized commission—which includes parliamentary and presidential representatives—is working to expedite these appointments.

The goal is for the Supreme Court to be fully operational by the end of 2026, ensuring that the population has access to a complete and fair judicial appeals process.

The leaders also reviewed the legislative agenda, which includes essential laws for Timor-Leste’s integration into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and ASEAN.

Regarding the possibility of constitutional revision, Fernanda Lay informed the President that while expert seminars are being held to study the matter, the current focus remains on the correct interpretation of existing articles.

Finally, the Presidency confirmed the appointment of Avelino Coelho to the Superior Council of the Magistracy, which was recently formalized by presidential decree.