"Al-Jumhuriya" learned that after the opening statements from President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Minister of Education Abbas Halabi raised the issue of professors at the Lebanese University and the four decrees related to permanent staff, trainers, and the appointment of deans. He requested to separate the decree on dean appointments from the other decrees due to existing issues. The President responded by stating, "In case of any dispute, we must refer to the law and established norms. If there is no acceptance to revert to procedures, that means there is an intention to obstruct."
The situation of the National Social Security Fund was also discussed, as Labor Minister Mustafa Bayram complained that employees were not receiving their compensations due to the Board of Directors not convening. He called for the aid and benefits approved by the Cabinet to include fund employees similarly to public sector employees. Bayram was tasked with preparing a report on the status of the National Social Security Fund and providing suggestions to be raised in a dedicated session to study the entire issue.
Minister of Industry also raised the obstacles facing import and export operations amid staff strikes, leading to an exceptional approval for a duration of 10 days to waive the required clearance until the social security issue is resolved.
Then, Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Shami presented the main outlines of the preliminary agreement reached between Lebanon and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), particularly the expected procedures such as restructuring the banking sector, distributing losses, enacting a banking secrecy law, and forensic auditing. He explained the program's objectives which primarily aim to stop the collapse, restore stability, combat poverty, stabilize the exchange rate, and achieve governance and transparency. He presented a numerical overview of the state finances and compensation possibilities, touching on the commercial portfolio, bank losses, and the sovereign fund. Extensive discussions ensued regarding these topics, with ministers posing multiple questions about the criteria used in the fair distribution of losses, the fate of Eurobond holders, and depositors' funds. When questions and clarifications increased, the Cabinet decided to approve the program as agreed upon with the IMF, allowing ministers to submit their observations to Shami within a week to determine if any amendments or additions could be made to the agreement with the Fund.
Regarding the item concerning expatriate allowances for foreign service employees, a debate occurred during the session between Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib, who opposed reducing their salaries, and Finance Minister who insisted they are excessive and unjustifiable in these circumstances. Bou Habib explained that their salaries do not cover accommodations, children's education in schools, transport, and other living requirements abroad. Their views indicated a need to reconsider the status of every ambassador and every embassy that could be deemed unnecessary, especially since some salaries reach up to $30,000. The Cabinet preliminarily agreed to the cut but at reasonable rates, and discussions on this item were postponed until the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance meet to determine the total cost.
In the matter of the damaged grain silos at the Port of Beirut, the Prime Minister presented a report from "Khatib & Alami" regarding the sliding of these silos and its dangers, leading the Council to approve the report, which recommended demolition. The Council tasked the Council for Development and Reconstruction and the Minister of Defense to study the issue and make the final decision. Additionally, the Minister of Culture was assigned to establish a memorial for the Beirut Port martyrs, while the Minister of Public Works will prepare a guiding plan for constructing new silos.
Outside the agenda, a national committee was formed to prepare for the visit of His Holiness the Pope next June, chaired by Tourism Minister Walid Nassar, including the relevant ministers, namely Defense, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Culture, and Finance.
The Minister of Public Works also raised the topic of expanding Rafic Hariri International Airport according to a guiding plan to accommodate 11 million passengers by 2025, noting that it currently accommodates 8 million passengers. The Minister of Tourism requested a report from the Minister of Public Works to conduct a tender and establish specifications for the expansion, and Mikati urged the expedited appointment of the Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority.
