Khalil: Saniora acts according to his own whims disregarding the fact that we are a national unity cabinet

29-1-2009

Development and Liberation bloc MP Ali Hassan Khalil held a press conference on the Council for South Lebanon funds at Nejmeh Square Thursday and slammed Prime Minister Fouad Saniora on the 2009 draft budget, emphasizing its importance on the work of state institutions, specifically the Council for South.

Khalil accused Saniora of acting according to his own whims, disregarding the fact that we are a national unity cabinet. He went on to give examples such as the pending assignment of notaries, the 2006 July War supposedly unpaid compensations and the Council for South budget.

"[PM Saniora] kept saying that he had already paid the due compensations. However, he did not (...) The best example is what happened with the Saudi grant," Khalil said. "The compensations are being dealt with from a political perspective," he added.

"I ask Saniora, why doesn't he call for meeting of the Higher Relief Commission? We suggest the cancellation of all the [legal] clauses, which are being exploited within the work of the Higher Relief Commission," Khalil stated.

He went on to address PM Saniora saying, "It is not enough to say that you can settle matters, as you did in the parliament. The state is not a mediator that distributes the grants given to it, rather, it is held to a law that you should respect."

"The Council for South is responsible for [the grant's distribution]... This council has been formed according to the law, and as long as it legally exists one person's desire cannot abolish it," he stated. Khalil said his bloc refused to settle on the issue of the Council for South, adding that PM Saniora was charged to deal with files that value 27 billion LL.

Khalil defended the opposition's stand, saying, "All propaganda claiming we do not want [to adopt] a state budget is a lie (...) We insist on adopting a budget, but along with necessary reforms." He said the state budget mirrored the state's vision. However, in this case, "it is absent," and this would affect the budget's adoption in parliament.

"Development and Liberation bloc refuses any new taxes or decrees, at a time when they should be reduced amid the [global] economic crises," he said, adding that the bloc would practice its "right to object" on the proposed increase of taxes.

The controversy over the Council of South budget led Khalil to support Speaker Nabih Berri's suggestion of reviving the "Ministry of Design, only adopting a Ministry of Planning instead... This [latter] ministry would carry out the administration of credits and grants, as well as be responsible for administering balanced development projects in all the regions," he explained.

Khalil concluded that the cabinet should not be solely concerned with electoral affairs. However, he acknowledged the need for "a clear plan for all the councils, funds and committees."