Public Transportation into Strike, Lebanon Firm against ’’Israeli’’ Breach
Extra Spending Delayed
Despite the clouds of political debate on various topics, the parliamentary confidence that the government gained is reflected on more than one level.
As the government approved a mechanism to allow the Lebanese expatriates to vote, it further succeeded in absorbing a number of livelihood issues.
Lebanese Expats to Vote in 2013
Headed by the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, the Council of Ministers approved Wednesday a mechanism that would allow Lebanese expatriates to vote in the 2013 parliamentary elections.
According to Information Minister Walid Daouq, Suleiman stressed that "it is not permissible to not hold these elections in Lebanon and to not allow expatriates to participate in them."
For his part, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati highlighted the importance of "maintaining contact with Lebanese expatriates."
"The government isn't the only side responsible for this title because the Parliament will have the final say," Mikati added.
On another level, the government also tasked Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi to continue payment of salaries and wages of civil service.
This comes as the debate on draft bill authorizing LL8.900 billion in extra-budgetary spending escalated to reach an unprecedented level.
According to the Lebanese dailies, the President reiterated his rejection to sign the bill considering it as "illegal".
"The draft law contains legal and constitutional violations," Suleiman said in an interview with "an-Nahar" daily, noting that his decision comes "after consulting with legal and constitutional experts."
"I told the government to amend the bill by taking into consideration the remarks of the Finance and Budget parliamentary committee ... and send it back to parliament," the president told the newspaper.
He further criticized the opposition for withdrawing from the parliamentary session that was set to approve the bill.
"The session shouldn't be obstructed through lack of quorum, which is not the solution even if it is a democratic right," Suleiman said.
He also confirmed that "he won't sign a draft law that is doomed to fall," assuring that he is keen on securing spending."
According to "as-Safir" daily, "the topic prompted a long hot debate."
"A split in views emerged between the Ministers loyal to the President and those loyal to the National Struggle Front on one side, and the ministers of Amal, Hizbullah, and the Free Patriotic Movement on the other side," it reported.
The ministers exerted pressure on Suleiman to use his constitutional presidential authorities -that the article 58 of the constitution reserves- by which the President is allowed to issue an urgent bill.
"As-Safir" also learned that Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi, who is loyal to the FPM, urged the president to sign the bill recalling that several of his predecessors have resorted to this constitutional right.
"[Former President]Fouad Shihab used this signature used 200 times, Camille Chamoun 40 times and President Elias Sarkis 45 times," the minister clarified.
Similarly, the minister of Administrative Development Mohammed Fneish "Our stance emerges from the solution that the President uses his constitutional authorities so that it won't paralyze itself."
"The ministerial opinions were divided between: spending, not spending in violation of the law, and legalizing the spending," Fneish stated.
He also disagreed with Suleiman that the bill is illegal and could be challenged.
"The discussions were centered on the next phase challenges and will renewed confidence after their duties and the importance of the legalization of spending and not to return to the methods adopted previously."
In parallel, "as-Safir" revealed that the "Loyal to Resistance Bloc" MP Ali Fayyad started preparing a probe into the financial scandals committed by previous governments.
Bread's Weight Reduced
On another level, the government approved to reduce the weight of the bread bundle by 100 grams and keep its price at LL1,500.
The bread pack will now weigh 900 grams to satisfy bakeries who have been complaining of the rise in the prices of raw material.
In remarks to "as-Safir", the Head of Bakeries Union Kazem Ibrahim emphasized that "the union was not with reducing the weight, but will abide by the decision starting from the beginning of the next month."
Among other Lebanese developments, the Lebanese public transportation sector announced a nationwide strike on Thursday.
The sector decided to hold the strike between 5:00 am and 12:00 pm to reject the rise of gasoline price sold to drivers.
"The strike is primarily facing an in-house union challenge, as several parties involved decided not to abide by the strike," "as-Safir" commented, noting that "this questions the efficiency of the taxi drivers' current union leadership."
In a similar context, Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri succeeded in convincing the public primary education contract teachers to suspend their open strike and resume teaching after his promise to withdraw the draft law on open competitive examinations.
Lebanon Firm: "Israeli" Breach Not Accepted
On the security level, "al-Akhbar" daily mentioned that the tripartite meeting held between representatives of the Lebanese armies and the Zionist enemy under the auspices of the commander of UNIFIL, General Paolo Serra, made no new results.
According to the daily, the meeting aimed at discussing the "security situation in the Shabaa Farms area following the "Israeli" army's breach to Lebanese sovereignty resembled by constructing a new patrol road."
The sources pointed out that the "Lebanese side was firm in considering that the "Israeli" action forms a breach and an assault on the reserved lands, located between the Blue Line and the armistice line i.e. the international borders."
Source: Lebanese newspaer, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
