Cabinet tasks Finance Minister to prepare bills to fund ranks, salaries series

The cabinet tasked Minister of Finance Mohammad Safadi with the preparation of draft laws to ensure funding resources for the series of ranks and salaries and is expected to convene on Wednesday afternoon at the Presidential Palace in Baabda to discuss a regular agenda.       

Following the session, Minister of Information Walid Daouk said that the cabinet did not set a date to discuss the draft laws related to the ranks and salaries’ funding, adding that finding means to ensure funding resources for the series is not an easy task.     

The cabinet had convened at the Grand Serail on Tuesday afternoon to continue discussing the 2013 draft budget and the means to ensure funding resources for the series of ranks and salaries. The session was chaired by PM Najib Mikati and held in the presence of the majority of ministers with the exception of Ministers Ghazi Aridi and Wael Abou Faour.       

Prior to the session, Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi said that talks over the budget might not end today, adding that around half of the 30 suggestions put forth to fund the series of ranks and salaries remain under discussion. Safadi concluded that the expenses of the 2013 budget have so far reached 23,000 billion dollars.