Mikati: Afternoon Meeting to Discuss Required Increases for the Public Sector

Prime Minister Najib Mikati met today, Tuesday, with the Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh. Mikati briefed the Speaker on the results of his communications and meetings abroad regarding Lebanon and the ongoing situation in the region. After the meeting, Mikati stated: "First, I wanted to inform His Excellency Speaker Berri about the results of the contacts I made abroad, especially regarding Lebanon and the war raging in the region." He added: "As for internal matters, I would like to draw attention to the fact that there is a meeting this afternoon at the Grand Serail for the committee on the regularization of work in the public sector, to look into the required increases for productivity for public sector employees. This matter is very important, and I promised to pass it as quickly as possible. If it is approved today by the committee, I will call for a Cabinet meeting as soon as possible. I hope this matter is not linked to my visit to President Berri, as this issue arose prior to this visit, and I promised the public sector this increase starting from the first of this month." Additionally, President Berri received the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, in the presence of UNRWA's Director of Operations in Lebanon, Dorothy Klaus, where they discussed the general conditions in Lebanon and the region in light of the escalation of Israeli aggression against Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the agency's programs concerning Palestinian refugees.