Miqati Proposes New Spending Solution to Avert Cabinet Clash
Premier Najib Miqati sought on Tuesday to convince the government’s different parties of a new plan aimed at ending the bickering on the $5.9 billion extra-budgetary spending of 2011, An Nahar daily reported.
The newspaper said Wednesday that Miqati sought to avoid a clash during the cabinet session between the March 8 ministers and President Michel Suleiman who is rejecting to sign the bill under article 58 of the constitution that allows the head of state to approve a bill deemed urgent by the government after the failure of the legislature to approve it.
An Nahar did not give details on his new proposal, only saying that the prime minister made a last-ditch effort to solve the crisis and avoid embarrassment.
A cabinet session was postponed last week over lack of consensus on how to legalize the spending.
While Hizbullah, Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement are holding onto their stance that Suleiman should approve the bill, the president is insisting that the cabinet and parliament should assume their responsibilities in that regard.
An Nahar hinted that Miqati could bypass discussion of the $5.9 billion bill and another item on the agenda which calls for the allocation to the finance ministry of $3.12 billion to cover some expenses of state institutions in 2012, including the salaries for public sector employees.
As Safir quoted informed sources as saying that the premier might push for the adoption of only the $3.12 billion loan.
But the sources said that any such move would face the rejection of the Hizbullah, Amal and FPM ministers for failing to find a solution to the extra-budgetary spending of the previous year.
Despite the huge differences between the different parties, sources close to Miqati said Wednesday’s cabinet session at Baabda palace would not be postponed as was done last week.
If the government fails to study the spending bill, it would discuss other items on its agenda, including a solution to the traffic in Jal el-Dib following the dismantlement of the old metal bridge and repeated protests by the residents to build a new bridge.
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