Cabinet will likely convene next Monday

The political forces have not yet been formally called to decide whether or not to participate, and the position of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) is known regarding cabinet meetings in light of the presidential vacuum, while the eye is still on the stance of the two Hezbollah ministers.

According to relevant sources, the agenda is being prepared and will not be expanded.

However, among the most prominent items that will be mainly discussed is approving an advance of LBP 1,500 billion directly linked to public sector employees.

Moreover, the public sector employees receive a basic salary to which two salaries are added, provided that the amount is not less than LBP 5 million and not more than LBP 12 million.

Therefore, introducing salary additions is difficult, but paying the so-called productivity allowance is being discussed.

This allowance will be related to the days of attendance.

One of the proposals is to pay the "attendance allowance" to the employees according to the first to the fifth categories, gradually from LBP 400 to 800 thousand.

Additionally, discussions are underway to see if this advance is sufficient to cover the productivity allowance and adjust the cost of gasoline, noting that any employee in the public sector is currently receiving a transportation allowance of LBP 200,000 for each day of attendance.

Furthermore, the Finance Ministry is looking into approving an allowance of five liters of gasoline for one day, equivalent to LBP 373 thousand, based on the current fuel prices.

Simultaneously, the discussion is ongoing regarding linking employee salaries to dollar fluctuations in an index adjusted every three months, for example, to preserve its value in dollars.

Yet, without any serious financial solutions, these increases would raise the pressure on Bank du Liban to secure dollars, resulting in further devaluation of the Lebanese lira.