Hariri 'Very Dismayed' over Some Budget Cuts but 'Won't Resign'

W460

Prime Minister Saad Hariri was “very dismayed” on Friday as parliament started voting on the articles of the 2019 state budget, media reports said.

“He walked out of parliament’s hall before returning and he considers himself to be targeted politically through the budget’s debate, which took aim at several state institutions that are politically loyal to him,” MTV reported.

Radio Voice of Lebanon (93.3) said the premier lamented that he was “targeted” through the budget cuts of the Council for Development and Reconstruction, OGERO, the Interior Ministry and the loans of the High Relief Commission.

“The finance committee endorsed the recommendations of the Justice Ministry and the defense minister without taking into consideration the recommendations of the ministries that are loyal to al-Mustaqbal Movement,” the radio network quoted Hariri as saying.

The network’s correspondent in parliament meanwhile denied reports claiming that Hariri intends to resign.

Ex-PM and Tripoli MP Najib Miqati meanwhile walked out of the session in protest at the cuts targeting the CDR, the Interior Ministry and OGERO.

“There is blatant targeting and it is unacceptable to deal with things in this manner,” he said in a tweet.

The budget is aimed at averting a financial crisis in heavily indebted Lebanon. But it was met with criticism for failing to address structural problems. Instead, the budget mostly cuts public spending and raises taxes.

Despite the criticism, lawmakers began voting on each article of the bill in a closed session on Friday amid scuffles outside between security forces and protesters led by army veterans.

Comments 6
Thumb EagleDawn 19 July 2019, 18:31

lol

"libanaisresilient
The state's control now belongs to Hizballah and FPM."

Thumb ex-fpm 19 July 2019, 18:50

Well deserved Mr. Prime Minister, well deserved!

Thumb liberty 20 July 2019, 06:16

An incompetent and weak person with a sense of unearned and undeserved entitlement.

Thumb Knight 20 July 2019, 07:59

Mr. Hariri: Enjoy the presidential settlement that made you prime minister at the expense of fairness, ethics, and common sense. You deserve everything you are getting and a lot more.

Thumb doodle-dude 20 July 2019, 17:17

lol @ the shia western christian with triple nationality.

Thumb dasphinx 21 July 2019, 18:52

He keeps giving à lot so he gets little personal gains to his entourage with him getting the short change from them. He is so weak and a curse. I wish he'd resign. We are better off without him. Zero is better than negative