Khalil Says 'No Law, No Salaries' as Salam Visits Berri

Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil on Tuesday reiterated his call for issuing legislation aimed at paying the salaries of public employees, warning that civil servants will be deprived of their wages if no such law is passed.

“Any increase in expenditure requires legislation and the issue will be raised in cabinet,” Khalil said after meeting Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh.

“Should there be no law, there won't be any salaries,” the minister cautioned.

His meeting with Berri was held after talks between the speaker and Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

“Berri is keen on legalizing the payment of public employees' salaries during a session in parliament,” LBCI television reported.

Khalil has refused to budge regarding the financial crisis and the payment of civil servants' salaries at the end of the month if the cabinet and parliament failed to approve extra-budgetary spending.

“I will not violate the law to pay the salaries of employees,” Khalil said in comments published in As Safir newspaper on Tuesday.

He pointed out that “salaries will only reach employees through the (Parliament at) Nejmeh Square.”

The daily said that Khalil will hold a press conference in the upcoming two days to reiterate his stance regarding the dispute.

Khalil, who is Berri's adviser, rejects to violate the law on spending like previous cabinets did.

However, al-Mustaqbal movement, which is affiliated with the March 14 alliance, is insisting that the only solution to the spending row is the government authorization according to the General Accounting Law, urging also the adoption of the Eurobonds law.

Parliament should pass draft-laws allowing the government to approve treasury loans. But lawmakers have been boycotting legislative sessions over the vacuum at the presidency.

Mustaqbal considers Khalil's move an attempt to press MPs to attend a parliamentary session and legislate despite a presidential vacuum as the March 14 alliance rejects to attend sessions unless to elect a new head of state.

However, al-Liwaa newspaper reported that public employees will be paid their salaries in the month of August, pointing out that the crisis begins in September.

The newspaper reported that minister Khalil met on Monday twice with al-Mustaqbal lawmakers Ghazi Youssef and Jamal al-Jarrah in an attempt to bridge the gap.

“The crisis remains,” Mustaqbal MP Ahmed Fatfat told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

He noted that al-Mustaqbal movement presented several solutions to resolve the dispute but “the finance minister is holding onto his stance.”

H.K./Y.R.