Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced the adjournment of the cabinet session set to take place on Friday, one hour before it was supposed to convene, in order to avoid clashes with retired military personnel gathered outside the serail in protest against their deteriorating living conditions.
“I informed all concerned of the postponement of today’s ministerial session,” Mikati declared, adding that the council of ministers “will hold another session next week which will be of great importance.”
He said he was surprised by the “negative” temperament in the street, despite the fact that “a solution had been reached that is acceptable to all parties, including active military personnel, the public sector, and a large portion of retirees.”
Mikati affirmed that the government is “in favor of giving all rights to everyone,” but is limited “by budget constraints and spending ceilings.”
He stressed, however, that “it is absolutely out of the question” to increase public spending above the ceiling set by the Bank of Lebanon in agreement with the government.
The adjourned council of ministers’ meeting was supposed to review the draft law on the reorganization and restructuring of the banking sector.
Mikati said he has reservations on the draft and has received many comments from fellow ministers in that regard, which made it impossible to have a thorough discussion had the session convened today.
“This session was intended to have a general discussion of the draft and to agree on a mechanism for presenting it in the upcoming sessions for approval,” he said.
Mikati then appealed to all parties to be positive, claiming that the incentives to be given for civil servants are “attractive and satisfactory to all, especially for the lower ranks of retirees.”
The Premier also warned that, “If the Ministry of Finance is not re-opened before the end of the month, it is not possible to disburse employees’ salaries.”
Civil servants in a number of ministries, including the finance ministry, are on strike over the controversial allocation of allowances that the government plans to grant to certain categories of civil servants, excluding others.
