Katrina Mazernova, Deputy Director-General responsible for the Eastern Neighborhood Policy at the European Commission and for private sector development, urged examining ways to support the Lebanese private sector and called on Lebanese citizens and parliamentarians to expedite the approval of the restructuring of the banking sector, stating that without a strong banking sector, the economy cannot breathe and grow. Mazernova made these remarks during her visit to the Grand Serail alongside EU Ambassador Ralph Tarraf, leading a delegation to meet with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
After the meeting, she affirmed that Lebanon is an important partner with the European Union and the European Commission, noting that the delegation inquired about political developments and the conditions in the country. Discussions also touched on the steps necessary for the official launch of the program to agree with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the framework agreement reached last year. She added, "We informed the Prime Minister about the updates on it and pointed out that many agreements with the Fund are still awaiting final approval in the Parliament."
She continued, "Our visit also aims to explore how to use our tools and expertise to directly assist the private sector and the opportunities available to work with it more effectively."
On another note, Democratic Gathering member MP Akram Shehayyeb discussed educational issues with the Prime Minister in light of the government's decision to support the public education sector and teachers. Shehayyeb indicated after the meeting that Mikati informed him that the financial aid file for the State Employees' Cooperative is a continuation of the needs and requests from teachers to the Ministry of Finance.
He added, "The matter related to health and hospitalization is essential for every teacher, as he cannot enter the hospital at this stage without assistance. Just as support for transportation for teachers to reach schools has been provided during this difficult phase, we will continue communications with all parties, hoping to secure additional support for the State Employees' Cooperative."
The Prime Minister also discussed with MP Mohammed Suleiman the developmental situation in the Akkar region and the humanitarian cases affecting several sectors, including civil defense and the electricity problem in the Akkar plain, which suffers from a lack of energy due to wire theft. The meetings at the Grand Serail included Minister of Social Affairs Hector Hajjar, MP Ahmad Al-Khair, and the Committee for the Affairs of Hajj and Umrah chaired by former Minister Dr. Khaled Qabbani.
