No Indications Budget Controversy Will Be Resolved Soon
Environment Minister Antoine Karam told the Voice of Lebanon radio station on Tuesday that there were no indications that the controversy over the 2009 state budget would be resolved, adding that he hoped President Michel Sleiman’s efforts would “enlighten minds” so as to solve the problem soon.
Karam said that the ministerial committee that was formed to tackle the budget could not reach any solution, because Speaker Nabih Berri obstructed its work. “It is not the end of the world if the state budget is not adopted, and we can still adopt the 12 Rule,” whereby the adopted annual budget would use the same formula as the last month of the preceding year, he explained.
Karam also said he did not want to rush things; however certain security and political indications were worrying, adding that the security issue topped the agenda of Thursday’s cabinet meeting.
He said that he was informed that a second person had died of injuries inflicted by March.