The draft general budget law entered the stage of detailed study, after the Council of Ministers began discussing its articles article by article, and made amendments to a number of them, with the discussion to be completed in successive sessions starting tomorrow.
After the session ended at approximately 8 p.m., Information Minister Paul Morcos announced that the Council of Ministers held its session designated to discuss the draft general budget law, headed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and in the presence of ministers, while the Minister of Education and Higher Education and the Minister of Culture were absent.
Morcos explained that the Minister of Finance presented the reasons that called for formulating the budget items as contained in the draft, in light of the circumstances the country is going through, and provided an extensive explanation regarding them.
He added that the Council of Ministers then moved to discuss the articles one by one, and made amendments to some of them, stressing that the sessions will continue starting tomorrow until the completion of the draft law.
Regarding the demands presented by the Armed Forces Veterans Association, Morcos stressed that the Council of Ministers is not ignorant of social concerns, pointing to a retroactive increase of 6 salaries, in addition to social, health and educational benefits.
He said that the Council of Ministers was surprised by the move called for by the Association, especially in light of the delicate economic and security situations and the conditions of the public treasury, stressing, at the same time, the government’s readiness for dialogue with the stakeholders with the aim of reaching a formula that improves their conditions and does justice to them, and that its hand is extended to them.
In this context, the Council of Ministers assigned a ministerial committee to meet with representatives of the Association this evening, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mitri, and with membership of the Ministers of Finance, Defense, Interior, Information Technology, and Public Works.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam chaired the session allocated to listen to the Minister of Finance’s presentation regarding the report prepared by the Ministry of Finance on the draft general budget for the year 2027, and to begin discussing the draft law related to it.
The session was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mitri, Ministers of Finance Yassine Jaber, Defense Michel Mansi, Energy and Water Minister Joe Seddi, Tourism Laura El Khazen, Social Affairs Haneen Al-Sayed, Economy and Trade Amer Al-Bassat, Displaced Persons, Information Technology Affairs and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh, Interior and Municipalities Ahmed Al-Hajjar, Justice Adel Nassar, Communications Charles Al-Hajj, Youth and Sports Noura Bayrakdarian, Industry Joe Issa Al-Khoury, and Development. Administrative Fadi Makki, Labor Muhammad Haidar, Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny, Agriculture Nizar Hani, Media Paul Morcos, Environment Tamara Al-Zein, and Public Health Rakan Nasser Al-Din.
The Director-General of the Presidency of the Republic, Antoine Choucair, and the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, Judge Mahmoud Makiya, also attended.
