Government to Start Discussing Draft Budget Next Week

The government is set to start discussing the 2019 draft budget next week, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil announced on Thursday.

“Starting Tuesday, the government will hold continuous sessions until the budget is approved,” Khalil told reporters following the Cabinet session at the Baabda Palace.

Khalil pointed out that the amended budget plan will be distributed to the ministers today so that they would be able to examine it ahead of next week's discussions.

The Finance minister refuted "rumors" about salaries cut as unfounded.

Cabinet will hold a session next week dedicated to discussing the 2019 state budget, Finance Minister Ali Hasan Khalil said following a Cabinet session Thursday.

A copy of the latest draft budget will be distributed to ministers ahead of the session, set for Tuesday, in accordance with a request from Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

"We will hold continuous sessions until we have finished with the budget," Khalil added.

During Thursday's session, the government approved salary hikes for employees at the Port of Tripoli and the Railways and Public Transport Authority in accordance with the salary scale law.

Finance minister highlighted that the government has decided to stop covering trips except for those carried out by President Aoun and PM Hariri for emergency political motives.