Hizbullah, Berri Reject Increase in Officials' Salaries

President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc rejected on Wednesday any increase in salaries and compensations for the three top presidential posts of the country, the ministers and the parliament members.

“We are passing through a period of austerity and an exceptional economic and financial stage, therefore, the state's treasury shouldn't bear additional burdens,” Berri said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

He pointed out that his parliamentary bloc, Development and Liberation, will seek to refute this matter, “even if some MPs didn't like it.”

Berri expressed surprise concerning the hike in his salary, noting that it is important not to “hurt the feelings” of citizens, who are suffering from difficult living conditions.

“I advise (officials) who want their salaries boosted to wait until we start oil exploration” off Lebanon's shore, he said.

Lebanon has been slow to exploit its maritime resources compared with other eastern Mediterranean countries. Israel, Cyprus and Turkey are all much more advanced in drilling for oil and gas.

As Safir newspaper published on Tuesday a report saying that the president, the speaker and the premier will collectively have an increase of around LL 6,200,000 while the ministers and MPs will be allocated around LL4,300,000, where the state's treasury will have to hold a burden of around LL8,300,000,000 each year.

Source close to President Michel Suleiman said that any increase in the salaries of officials would violate the constitution as article 63 of the constitution states that “the civil list of the President of the Republic is determined by law. During the President's tenure of office it may be neither increased nor reduced.”

According to the source, Suleiman informed ministers during last week's cabinet session that any increase in their salaries should be accompanied by the amendment of the constitution, which requires a certain mechanism.

The cabinet approved last week the new salaries scale for public employees ending a long dispute that had prompted the Syndicate Coordination Committee, a coalition of private and public school teachers and public sector employees, to hold several sit-ins and strikes.

Later, the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc rejected in a statement any hike in the salaries of the three top presidential posts, the ministers and Mps.

“The bloc acknowledges the efforts exerted by the cabinet to increase the salaries of public employees, however, it doesn't consider the raise in officials' wages necessary,” the statement said.

The bloc called on all MPs to reject the hike, particularly, amid the deteriorating economic conditions in the country.

Concerning the endeavors undertaken by the army to free the Syrians and Turkish citizen, who were kidnapped by al-Meqdad clan in retaliation to the abduction of a family member by allegedly the Free Syrian Army in Damascus, Berri expressed relief in his remarks to As Safir.

He said that this allows the resistance to assume its tasks.

Berri stressed that the army should be able to perform its duties across Lebanese territories.

“I personally call on the military to activate its role in the Bekaa after Beirut's southern suburb,” he added.