Mustaqbal, AMAL to Continue Dialogue over Financial Crisis despite Sharp Differences

AMAL and al-Mustaqbal movements are expected to resume on Monday negotiations over the country's financial crisis after failing to reach a breakthrough over the weekend as both parties held onto their stances.

According to al-Liwaa newspaper, a meeting will be held on Monday between Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, Speaker Nabih Berri's adviser, and al-Mustaqbal lawmakers Ghazi Youssef and Jamal al-Jarrah, in an attempt to end the crisis.

Sources told the daily that despite the row between the two parties, a parliamentary session will be held soon to tackle all the pending issues.

Minister Khalil expressed fear recently that civil servants would not be paid their salaries at the end of the month if the cabinet and parliament failed to approve extra-budgetary spending.

Berri and Khalil reject to violate the law on spending like previous cabinets did.

However, al-Mustaqbal movement, which is affiliated to the March 14 alliance, is insisting that the only solution to the spending row is the government authorization according to the General Accounting Law, urging also the adoption of the Eurobonds law.

Parliament should pass draft-laws allowing the government to approve treasury loans. But lawmakers have been boycotting legislative sessions over the vacuum at the presidency.

Mustaqbal considers Khalil's move an attempt to press MPs to attend a parliamentary session and legislate despite a presidential vacuum as the March 14 alliance rejects to attend sessions unless to elect a new head of state.

Berri called, in excerpts published in local newspapers on Monday, on those boycotting parliamentary sessions to attend them and vote with or against discussed draft-laws to end the deadlock.

Public employees “will only receive their salaries according to the law and norms,” the head of AMAL Movement said.

“I am ready to go until the end in this matter, whatever the price was,” Berri added.

H.K.

M.T.