New $5 Billion Added to Extra Spending, Gov’t Meets Wednesday

Zeinab Essa

The cave opened its stones. There was Ali Baba. However, his followers of thieves are away from the scene.

The looted wealth is more than $11 billion and the real number reached so far the $16 billion. Moreover, the hidden is disastrous.

The pubic trial began in the absence of any documents to prove where the money was paid.

And between Paris residents and those in Beirut, the Lebanese Parliament is determined to uncover some of "March 14" rotten years of financial corruption.

Safadi's Report to Gov't

After "March 14" play of paralyzing the legislative session that was scheduled Monday to legalize L.L. 8900 million spending, the majority decided to open fire on extra spending of money away from documentation.

After a parliamentary meeting that gathered House Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and MPs: Michel Aoun, Suleiman Franjieh, Mohammed Raad and Talal Arslan, Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi was tasked with preparing a draft-law on the extra-budgetary spending made by the governments of ex-PMs Fouad Saniora and Saad Hariri in 2006-2010
The draft-law is to be referred to parliament after gaining the governmental approval.

In an interview with "as-Safir" Lebanese newspaper, Safadi unveiled that "financial violations were committed in those years and the spending was in reality more than $16 billion."
"There is a difference between the violation of accounting the transfer of funds from item to item within the budget, which needs a governmental decision and the amount of expenses that exceeded the twelve months base according to 2005's budget," he further clarified.

Explaining that "the 2010 Hariri cabinet spent $5 billion in extra-budgetary overheads," the minister informed "as-Safir" that "he would refer the draft-law which he had finalized Monday afternoon to the general-secretariat of the government on Tuesday."
"This would lead to a full and not a partial settlement of the spending between 2006 and 2010," he said stressing that "we don't want to complicate the issue."

"On the contrary, we are seeking to find a way out of the crisis," he assured.

Paralyzing Parliament

This came as Berri postponed a legislative session until March 15 after "March 14" MPs and MP Walid Jumblatt's National Struggle Front boycotted the session.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Aoun expressed surprise at the boycott viewing that "there was no justification for the extra-budgetary spending.
"What prevented the session today was the $11 billion draft law which the opposition MPs forwarded to Parliament," Aoun said.
Expressing surprise that "they ran away when they were the ones who forwarded the urgent draft law," Aoun wondered "how can the law be addressed with them blocking quorum?"

Similarly, "Change and Reform" Bloc sources confirmed to "al-Akhbar" daily that "the majority scored a big goal in Monday's session by showing that the other party is unable to debate."
"If they were convinced, and have the geniuses of the money, why did not they discuss the law that they had proposed?" sources wondered affirming that "neither Hitler nor Mussolini did what "March 14" has done."

In parallel, a source in the majority described Monday "as the day of paralyzing the parliament."
In an interview with "ad-Diyar" daily, the source confirmed that the "majority knows how to deal with the new development."
"It is natural that the majority takes steps at both the governmental and parliamentary levels in accordance with the constitutional assets," the source confirmed refusing to reveal the nature of these steps."

Gov't to Meet Wednesday

Meanwhile, the government is scheduled to convene Wednesday with an agenda of 69 items.

However, the most prominent to be discussed is the energy ministry's request to approve an agreement with Iran, which allows Tehran to provide Lebanon with 200-400 megawatts of electricity to resolve the country's lingering power crisis.
For its part "an-Nahar" daily quoted Mikati's sources as informing that the "PM is leaning towards refusing the leasing of power-generating vessels as they cost high and are useless."

"Mikati considers that those vessels will not produce more electricity but will only be a partial option to help the rehabilitation of the Zouk and al-Zahrani power stations," "an-Nahar" added.
Moreover, "al-Joumhouria" newspaper reported Tuesday that Wednesday's session at the Grand Serail will also tackle smuggling operations along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

It will also address draft-laws concerning money laundering, organizing the electronic media, and the dilapidated buildings in al-Nehme.
At the security level, informed sources told "an-Nahar" daily that the "Israeli" enemy is to launch Wednesday building a concrete wall near the borders with Southern village Kfar Kila."

"The Lebanese side completed all logistical arrangements with the "UNIFIL"," it added.