2023-09-12 10:48:00
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati confirmed that “this is the first budget approved by the government within its constitutional deadlines since 2002,” and pointed out that “the current budget has a smaller deficit than previous years.”
Mikati said following the end of the cabinet session: “We are going through a stage in which everyone must cooperate, and the economic issue is important, but the issue of the displaced is important and dangerous and threatens Lebanon.”
Mikati called on “the House of Representatives to hold continuous meetings to take important rescue steps,” and stressed that “electing the President of the Republic is a top priority.”
Mikati addressed the public sector employees and said to them: “I invite you to return to work to improve management and work, and to be one hand in these difficult circumstances.”
Pictures of gelCabinet session photographed by colleague (Hassan Assal)
Mikati chaired at the Saraya this followingnoon a Cabinet session in which Deputy Prime Minister His Excellency Al-Shami participated, and the Ministers of Education, Judge Abbas Al-Halabi, Information Ziad Makari, Youth and Sports George Kallas, Finance Youssef Al-Khalil, State for Administrative Development Affairs Najla Riachi, Industry George Bushkian, Communications Johnny Al-Qurm, Interior and Municipalities Judge Bassam Mawlawi, Health Firas Al-Abyad, Culture Judge Muhammad Wissam Mortada, Labor Mustafa Bayram, Public Works and Transport Ali Hamiya, Economy Amin Salam, Displaced Persons Issam Sharaf Al-Din, and Environment Nasser Yassin. It will also be attended by the Director General of the Presidency of the Republic, Dr. Antoine Choucair, and the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Judge Mahmoud Makiya.
The government began discussing the 2024 budget last week through a first session held in the government palace, and during the followingnoon hours of Tuesday, a second session was held in which the ministers continued discussing the budget.
During yesterday’s session, and with regard to the general budget, the government decided to assign the Deputy Prime Minister of the caretaker government, His Excellency Al-Shami, to establish specialized committees to implement the legal texts related to the provisions of the government plan for economic recovery, which address some of the following reform items:
– Unified income tax law
– A project to amend and modernize the Public Accounting Law.
– Restructuring the public sector and public institutions.
– A body for planning, coordinating and setting standards for information systems in the Lebanese state.
– Customs reform.
– Controlling evasion of registration in value added tax.
– Tax on luxury goods.
1694517011
#government #approved #general #budget #year
