Cabinet holds regular session, with 82 items on its agenda

The cabinet held a regular session today (Wednesday) under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, with 82 items on its agenda.        

Prior to the session, Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour noted that the cabinet will tackle the issue of the Syrian refugees, particularly the issue of the Syrian students applying for the Lebanese University, as well as ensuring the costs of the books needed for the Syrian students in Lebanese official schools, estimated to reach $1.2 million USD.                    

Regarding the issue of increasing school fees, Education Minister Hassan Diab explained “that private schools do not have the right to increase these fees by linking them to the ranks and salaries issue".              

For his part, Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi said that “as the Ministry of Finance, we approved the high cost of living, while the Ministries of Education and Economy will have to follow up the issue of the significant increase in the school fees”.                     

On the pay scale issue, Safadi noted that a ministerial committee headed by the Prime Minister is conducting the study regarding the sources of funding for the project.              

Separately, Agriculture Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan pointed that Hezbollah’s bloc rejects the amendment of the law 140, concerning telecommunication confidentiality.              

In turn, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said that the cabinet will go over the report prepared by the Lebanese delegation to France, based on which they will decide whether or not to amend the aforementioned law.