The March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday the government’s failure to cater to the needs of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, accusing it of imposing a military and security siege against them.

It announced in a statement after its weekly meeting that it will lead a delegation to visit the town of Arsal later this week “in order to break the siege and reject the government’s decision to distance itself from the refugees’ needs.”

President Michel Suleiman is reportedly fed up with the pressure exerted on him to sign the controversial $5.9 billion extra-budgetary spending bill and the campaign launched against him by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.

Baabda palace visitors told An Nahar daily on Wednesday that Suleiman was “fed up” after Aoun reiterated his accusations that the president was causing a paralysis in state institutions by refusing to sign the bill.

Speaker Nabih Berri considered on Wednesday that some constitutional authorities have been given to the head of state to resolve financial issues, hinting that President Michel Suleiman is refusing to use his jurisdictions to resolve the dispute over the $5.9 billion spending of 2011.

“The executive power should resolve the extra-budgetary spending dispute,” Berri told As Safir newspaper.

Premier Najib Miqati sought on Tuesday to convince the government’s different parties of a new plan aimed at ending the bickering on the $5.9 billion extra-budgetary spending of 2011, An Nahar daily reported.

The newspaper said Wednesday that Miqati sought to avoid a clash during the cabinet session between the March 8 ministers and President Michel Suleiman who is rejecting to sign the bill under article 58 of the constitution that allows the head of state to approve a bill deemed urgent by the government after the failure of the legislature to approve it.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun slammed on Tuesday Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat’s recent criticism against him, telling him to exercise some humility and accusing him of being disrespectful.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “You should remain silent. I have the right to put you on trial and strip you of your immunity.”

Members of Lebanon’s Court of Cassation elected two judges Tuesday to the Higher Judicial Council which is the subject of a controversy since its head Judge Ghaleb Ghanem retired in January last year.

Judges Antoine Daher and Suhair Harakeh were elected out of four candidates who ran for the posts.

Lebanese officials are exerting efforts to resolve the remaining disputes over the offshore natural reserves in the Exclusive Economic Zone, As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.

President Michel Suleiman chaired a meeting on Monday at the Baabda Palace with Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour, Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn, Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi, Energy Minister Jebran Bassil and several other involved officials.

Premier Najib Miqati is scrambling to avoid a showdown between President Michel Suleiman and March 8 ministers during Wednesday’s cabinet session that is set to discuss the controversial $5.9 billion extra-budgetary spending.

Miqati held separate talks with President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi on Monday in an effort to find a way out of the spending crisis that erupted after the March 8 ministers pressured the head of state to sign the $5.9 billion bill.

President Michel Suleiman lauded on Monday the efforts of the Interior and Defense Ministries in staging the municipal by-elections on Sunday, congratulating them on their accomplishment.

He said: “The elections were an example of democratic practice in Lebanon.”

Cabinet is expected to convene at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday in order to tackle the government spending dispute, among other issues, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

It will also address Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi’s draft law on the matter.