The following are summaries of today's
major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press
digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight
into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.
An-Nahar newspaper reported Sunday that the
second item expected to be on the table of the cabinet session next Wednesday
is the draft decree that grants the Finance Ministry a treasury advance of 4900
billion LBP to cover the expenses of some public administrations for the year
2012. The sum will be used over 6 months, until next June.
An-Nahar got the following draft decree text:
“Given that the 2012 budget has not been ratified yet, and since spending from
credits included in the 2005 draft budget is not enough to meet the needs of
the different public administrations as well as the spending according to the
table attached to the cabinet decision on 8-1-2012, the Ministry of Finance
prepared the attached draft decree”.
The decree was accompanied by a table
detailing the spending of the 4900 billion LBP as follows:
- Salary allocations: 1010 billion LBP
- Pensions and end of service indemnity: 543
billion LBP
-Rent and services: 14 billion LBP
-Transportation expenses: 87 billion LBP
-Regular maintenance and repairs: 1 billion
LBP
-Contributions for the public sector: 336
billion LBP
-Subscriptions: 10 billion LBP
-Due debts: 1015 billion LBP
-Electricity subsidization: 839 billion LBP
-Medications and lab: 78 billion LBP
-Private sector hospital expenses: 57 billion
LBP
-Different expenses distributed due to
decisions issued by Finance Minister: 109 billion LBP
-Reserve distributed upon cabinet decision:
700 billion LBP
Well-known sources told
An-Nahar daily Sunday
that tensions are expected to exacerbate amid reactions to the stances of
Change and Reform bloc leader General Michel Aoun. In fact, sources said that
PM Saad Hariri’s speech today at the Future festival is expected to include
“highly important” stances.
The sources said that the festival has a
triangular dimension; it celebrates the Martyrs’ Day on May 6, mainly late
Rafik Hariri and martyrs of the “independence uprising”. It marks the victory
of the Syrian people’s martyrs and constitutes the first festival of its kind
for the Future bloc in Beirut on the 4th anniversary of May 7th
invasion.
Majority sources told
Al-Hayat daily Sunday that disputes over the public spending issue within the
majority is creating disputes in addressing other issues such as the electoral
law, administrative appointments, dealing with Syrian refugees, the arms-laden
cargo ship seized by the LAF, telecommunication data delivery to security
authorities, and other interconnected issues.
A March 8 minister
told
Al-Hayat newspaper on Friday that the cabinet cannot maintain its current
approach. He also said that insisting on the formula proposed by FPM ministers
concerning the raise of the spending ceiling, placed the majority including
Amal, Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement in confrontation with the
President. He pointed out that being against the President will be in vain.