The parliament ended on Wednesday a prolonged debate on the transportation allowance by approving a draft-law based on the two proposals made by MPs Ibrahim Kanaan and Nabil de Freij.

The two lawmakers proposed separate draft-laws set to legalize the transportation allowance.

The cabinet is not likely to approve a draft-law on extra-budgetary spending in 2006-2010 this week after a ministerial committee tasked with studying the issue failed to agree on the plan proposed by Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi.

The committee met under Premier Najib Miqati at the Grand Serail on Monday. But its members were incapable of overcoming their differences on the details of the spending made by the governments of ex-Premiers Fouad Saniora and Saad Hariri.

The cabinet adopted several bills on Wednesday but failed to discuss the draft-law on the 2006-2010 extra-budgetary spending that according to Premier Najib Miqati was finalized but it remained up to the finance ministry to settle its “technical” aspects.

Following a cabinet session held at the Baabda palace, Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said the government approved draft-laws linked to money laundering, Value Added Tax and money transfers.

Premier Najib Miqati and Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan will on Monday put the final touches on a draft-law aimed at resolving the controversy on the extra-budgetary spending made in 2006-2010, the lawmaker said.

In remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5), Kanaan said there is consensus on the approval of the draft-law formulated to resolve the $11 billion spending made by the governments of ex-PMs Fouad Saniora and Saad Hariri between 2006 and 2009 and the $5 billion spent by the national unity cabinet of Hariri in 2010.

The cabinet tasked Premier Najib Miqati on Friday with preparing a draft-law on the details of the extra-budgetary spending made by previous governments between 2006 and 2010.

Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said following the cabinet session held at Baabda palace that Miqati will refer the draft-law to the government during its next session on Wednesday.

The head of the parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee MP Ibrahim Kanaan stated on Thursday that the government and the Lebanese people will not accept a settlement over the government spending dispute.

He said after holding talks with Prime Minister Najib Miqati: “Our position is clear on any draft-law that does not respect the constitution.”

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan noted on Tuesday that the problem on government spending does not lie in the spending itself, but in the fact that parliament is being undermined.

He also reiterated his bloc’s demand that Mustaqbal bloc MP Fouad Saniora present the government’s accounting records from 2006 until 2010.

The Change and Reform bloc of MP Michel Aoun is preparing a detailed response to al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora who stressed on Friday that the $11 billion extra-budgetary spending made between 2006 and 2009 had all the required documents and accounting of public finances.

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan told As Safir daily on Saturday that a press conference held by Saniora and other March 14 MPs a day earlier was “a dangerous scandal at the constitutional and parliamentary levels that cannot be covered by the media play organized by Saniora.”

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan reiterated on Friday his rejection of attempts made by the opposition March 14 forces and mainly al-Mustaqbal movement to find a comprehensive solution to extra-budgetary spending made by previous governments since 2006.

Al-Mustaqbal bloc lawmakers Jamal al-Jarrah and Ghazi Youssef proposed an urgent draft-law to parliament to legitimize the extra-budgetary spending made by the cabinets of ex-PMs Fouad Saniora and Saad Hariri between 2006 and 2010 and the government of Premier Najib Miqati in 2011 after the current cabinet referred its $5.9 billion bill to the legislature for approval.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stated on Thursday that the March 14 press conference scheduled for Friday will serve as the “final warning” for the March 8 camp to “cease its spiteful acts.”

He told the Central News Agency: “Strife may erupt if the dispute between the March 8 and 14 camps over government spending is not resolved.”