Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel on Friday reiterated his call for ending smuggling in order to reduce the budget deficit and to fund the army’s end-of-service benefits.

“Instead of making cuts to the military budget, their pensions and end-of-service benefits, it would’ve been better to allow the army to conduct land border controls,” Gemayel wrote on Twitter ahead of the Parliament session aimed at discussing the 2019 State budget.

“Shutting down all illegal smuggling routes would provide the State with the necessary means to pay the army and security forces’ end-of-service benefits and would reduce the budget deficit,” Gemayel added.