Cabinet Meets Anew, to Approve State Budget on Friday
Cabinet on Thursday held “a discussion in depth over the situation of state administrations and the need to secure the continuity of their work” and also tackled “the need to explain the state budget’s objectives to citizens,” the acting information minister said.
“It was decided that Cabinet resume its open sessions tomorrow at 9am with a reading of the report that has been submitted by the Finance Minister regarding the draft state budget. The articles will also be discussed so that the budget can be approved in tomorrow’s session,” Abbas al-Halabi told reporters.
Noting that “the media uproar that surrounded the draft budget is aimed at undermining confidence in the state,” Halabi said “this is only aimed at achieving the interests of some narrow segments.”
He added that Cabinet “cannot set the Customs exchange rate,” noting that it might follow one of the market’s exchange rates.
Halabi also said that the government is mulling the possibility of rectifying public sector wages “within the capabilities allowed by the treasury.”
Cabinet had resumed its sessions on Monday after around a three-month suspension prompted by the boycott of Hizbullah and the Amal Movement -- the country’s two main Shiite parties. The discussion of the state budget itself kicked off on Tuesday.
Source: Naharnet
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