Berri Meets Feltman, Informs MPs of his Rejection of Ongoing Govt. Spending Dispute

Speaker Nabih Berri refused on Wednesday the continuation of the government spending dispute in Lebanon.

He therefore called on the government to end the dispute, “which is crippling the state.”

He made his remarks during his weekly Wednesday meeting with MPs from various political blocs.

“The dispute is having a dangerous impact on the state and its instructions, as well as the private and public sectors,” the speaker was quoted as saying.

Earlier on Wednesday, Berri held talks with visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman.

Disputes between the March 8 majority and the March 14 opposition coalition have prevented the legalization of the $5.9 billion extra-budgetary spending bill of Premier Najib Miqati’s government.

The March 14 forces have conditioned their approval of the 2011 spending bill at parliament to the legalization of $11 billion spent by the governments of ex-Premiers Fouad Saniora and Saad Hariri between 2006 and 2009.

Lebanon has been without a state budget since 2005.