Budget Session Postponed as Berri Now Demands More Funds for South Council
A special session on state budget was postponed for 10 days when Lebanese leaders failed to agree over funding for the "Council for the South," particularly after Speaker Nabih Berri requested more than double the amount of money he had earlier demanded.
The daily An Nahar on Saturday said Berri rejected a proposal that earmarked LL 30 billion for the Council for the South and demanded LL 150 billion instead.
Prime Minister Fouad Saniora rejected the raise.
An Nahar said that during Friday”s Cabinet session an envelope was distributed among the ministers that included two unsigned documents proposing the required amounts for the 2009 Council for the South budget totaling LL 150 billion.
Berri had earlier demanded LL 60 billion to be earmarked for the Council, an amount also rejected by Saniora.
A government source said President Michel Suleiman, who had stepped in trying to defuse the tension between Berri and Saniora, had proposed LL 30 billion for the Council for the South.
The source said Berri rejected Suleiman”s offer and demanded LL 150 billion increase instead.
The argument ended here. And Suleiman, according to the source, decided to postpone the session for 10 days to give more time for consultations.