Parliament approves $150 mn World Bank Wheat loan

Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil suggested Tuesday a parliamentary recommendation to lift subsidies amid a recurring wheat crisis forcing Lebanese to queue in front of bakeries to get their flat Arabic bread.

The suggestion was welcomed by Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati but rejected by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri who said that the government must take such decisions and that the lifting of subsidies is not within the Parliament's duties.

The discussion took place in a Parliament session during which the PMs approved a $150 million wheat loan from the World Bank.

"We take the Parliament's will into consideration," Mikati said, urging the Parliament to issue a recommendation in case it wants to lift subsidies.

"This is an undesirable obedience," Berri responded.

Any lifting of subsidies would sharply increase the price of bread and a bread bundle would reach LBP 35,000.