Jreissati: Aoun Won’t Appeal Budget

State Minister for Parliament Affairs Salim Jreissati said that President Michel Aoun is going to sign the 2019 state budget and has no plans of lodging an appeal against it, hence appeasing concerns over its fate now that it requires the President’s signing before being put into implementation.

“Aoun will sign the state budget, he is not going to lodge an appeal against it. In a letter he plans to address to the Parliament through the Speaker to explain Article 95 of the constitution,” said Jreissati after meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri dispatched by Aoun.

The budget was referred to Aoun last week for signing but he abstained because of “confusion” over Article 80, said the Presidency office.

The article in question preserves the employment right of those who succeeded in Civil Service Council exams for a period of six years, but they were not hired for “sectarian imbalances.”

Jreissati said he discussed with Berri the ways to solve the issue of Article 80, stressing that Berri is keen on the resumption of government meetings.