Mikati responds to most pending issues facing the country

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati revealed on Friday that the cabinet has called for holding a session on Monday afternoon at the Baabda Palace to finalize the discussion and to approve the draft law related to the ranks and salaries pay scale before sending it to parliament.           

On the issue of the 2013 budget, Mikati added that Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi has informed the ministers of the budget's primary figures related to the fixed expenses which are the salaries and wages, public debt service and the costs of Electricité Du Liban, noting that revenues will be searched for in case of any additional expenses.       

Commenting on the telecom data topic, Mikati stressed that work is "ongoing"; pointing out that he signed and referred for implementation all the requests he received from the Ministries of Interior and Defense. He also called on Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui to hand over the required data.               

On another note, Mikati expressed surprise toward the uproar caused by the issue related to the transportation of fuel oil to Syria, whereby some reports emerged claiming that the cabinet is sending the oil to the Syrian army. In this context, the PM stressed that the Lebanese State neither subsidizes the fuel oil nor does it import the green fuel oil which is being transported to Syria, revealing that there are private companies that exclusively import this type of fuel oil, sorting it in private facilities, and then exporting it according to the Commerce Act.           

Commenting on the speech delivered by former PM Saad Hariri on Thursday, Mikati said: “I support freedom of opinion and respect the other’s view. No one is against the fact that the State must protect its people.”                    

On the other hand, Mikati met with former PMs Salim al-Hoss and Fouad Siniora at the Grand Serail, within the framework of the regular meetings held in order to discuss the Higher Islamic Council Elections.