Defense Minister to Propose Army Pay Raise Bill after Objections over Public Sector Wage Scale

Defense Minister Samir Moqbel said Wednesday that he would propose a bill to the government on a wage hike for the army after the military corps expressed reservations to the controversial pay raise draft-law for the public sector.

“The military has certain requirements related to its working conditions,” Moqbel said during a joint press conference with Lebanese Forces chief George Adwan at parliament.

“I will propose a bill to the cabinet, which will be referred after approval to the parliament for discussion,” he said.

Moqbel called for separating the controversial wage hike draft-law for the public sector and the planned pay raise for military personnel.

The minister held his press conference after Speaker Nabih Berri referred the salary hike draft-law back to the parliamentary committees for discussion over objections expressed by the private sector teachers and the army.

“We cannot deal with the soldier, who works in difficult conditions, the same way we deal with employees who finish work at 1:30 pm and go home,” he told LBCI ahead of the conference.

Adwan also threw his weight behind the army, saying the military is preserving national unity.“It should be given what it needs.”

The lawmaker said he agreed with Berri that it was important to work with the military institution to provided it with the needed allocations.

Moqbel had attended a meeting with Adwan and Berri in parliament ahead of the press conference.

For the past two months, the army has been fighting jihadists near the border with Syria. In early August, the extremists from al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group crossed into the northeastern border town from Syria, capturing soldiers and policemen.

Two of the troops have since been beheaded and one has been shot dead in captivity.

G.K.

H.K.