Jumblat Recommends Parliament to Adopt March 14 Remarks on Spending

National Struggle Front bloc leader Walid Jumblat recommended the parliament on Monday to adopt the suggestions of the March 14 opposition on the controversial extra-budgetary spending of 2012.

In remarks to As Safir daily, Jumblat said his stance from the cabinet’s bill is “not negative.” But he has been informed about the remarks of the opposition al-Mustaqbal bloc “which I think should be taken into consideration to guarantee the legality of the bill.”

The LL11.561 trillion ($7.67 billion) bill landed on the two-day parliamentary agenda on Monday after the cabinet approved it following months of wrangling between its different members.

The March 14 opposition rejects the extra-budgetary spending for failing to settle the expenses made by the previous governments between 2006 and 2010.

The last time the government referred a $5.9 billion spending bill to parliament, Jumblat’s MPs rejected it along with the March 14 lawmakers.

But this time the National Struggle Front members are likely approve the new bill because it is limited to covering public spending for 2012 while the $5.9 billion bill was aimed at covering expanses of 2011 and its adoption was linked to the spending made based on the 2005 budget, ministerial sources told An Nahar.

“Today’s draft-law is limited to the 2012 spending, which practically means that the spending between 2006 and 2011 is still pending and requires a comprehensive settlement,” the sources said.