State Budget Again Postponed Till Next Thursday
Cabinet has postponed until next Thursday a session to discuss the 2009 state budget after ministers again failed to agree on funds for the Council for the South.
Cabinet, which held Thursday an ordinary session under President Michel Suleiman in Baabda, tackled issues like sand and rock quarries and a government plan to face the repercussions of the global financial crisis on Lebanon.
Information Minister Tareq Mitri, however, said at the end of the meeting around 10 pm that he cannot "promise" the Lebanese that Cabinet would be able to approve a budget plan next Thursday.
Health Minister Mohammed Jawad Khalife hinted that Suleiman is working for a settlement of the budget crisis and expected a breakthrough before Thursday”s Cabinet meeting.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mohammed Shatah explained that the amount of funding needed for the Council for the South budget LL 90 billion and not just LL 60 billion, adding that Cabinet decided on this issue after examining the projects.
Cabinet decided to issue 150,000 passports for expatriates so that they can take part in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.