Saniora Rejects ‘Logic of Vengeance’ in State Spending as Eyes Turn to Parliamentary Meeting
Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader Fouad Saniora reiterated his demand for parliament’s legitimization of extra-budgetary spending away from the “logic of vengeance” as a meeting scheduled to be held on Monday by the parliament bureau and the heads and secretaries of committees will seek to settle the issue.
Saniora held talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace on Saturday. His sources told An Nahar daily on Sunday that the two officials discussed extra-budgetary spending and Speaker Nabih Berri’s pledge to resolve the issue before a legislative session on March 5.
A parliamentary session held on Thursday was adjourned to March 5 after the opposition, including al-Mustaqbal, lawmakers stormed out of the legislature to protest a bill that would legitimize the $5.9 billion spent by Premier Najib Miqati’s government in 2011.
Lebanon has been without a state budget since 2005. The governments of ex-PMs Saniora and Saad Hariri have also made an $11 billion spending which the March 8 parliamentary majority and mainly MP Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc claims was not documented and was filled with corruption.
The March 14 opposition lawmakers conditioned their approval of the $5.9 billion bill to the legitimization of the $11 billion spending.
The sources reiterated to An Nahar that the amount spent by the governments of Saniora and Hariri went to resolve the electricity crisis, the rebuilding process after the devastation caused by the Israeli aggression on Lebanon in 2006, the fund of the displaced and to cover the interests of the public debt.
“For the same reasons, $6 billion were spent by the cabinet of PM Miqati in a single year,” Saniora’s sources said, adding that financial issues should be kept away from the “logic of vengeance” to preserve the country’s “financial reputation.”
They said the March 14 coalition was awaiting the results of the meeting that will be held in parliament on Monday.
March 14 parliamentary sources expected the meeting to find a “comprehensive settlement” to the spending.
12 years
For those of you who do not read the article and jump straight to the comments, here is an overview:
$11 billion dollars spend by the March-14 led governments from 2005 to 2010. These addressed the electricity crisis, the post-July 2006 war rebuilding process and the fund of the displaced, and to pay off the interests of the public debt.
$6 billion dollars spent by the March-8 led government from June to December 2011. These addressed the electricity crisis, and time wasted bickering all the while everything in the country has deteriorated.
Any Lebanese person who has the ability to understand that $2.2 billion dollars per year is less than $6 billion dollars per year (not to mention that it was only half a year) should know who NOT to vote for the 2013 elections. But then again, how many of those who vote use their brains while doing so?
12 years
Anyone who supports Aoun is a fool.
12 years
$11B, 5 years, March 14. $6, less than one year, March 8. You do the math. And if I may also add. Anyone who supports Aoun is a fool.
12 years
Very well said. I agree with you @Immune, but it makes more sense to shut them up since they spent the least.
12 years
mr saniora no need to bicker about the matter ,they accuse you wrongly just take them to court and let the justice decide
12 years
Biggest thief of all!!!! What vengeance? Not only did you act like a God when you were prime stealer, you also stole billions and put Lebanon in a dark tunnel that only God knows how we'll get out of. Mayyou roast in hell
12 years
Don't worry. All these debts will be erased, when the palestinians get settled in Lebanon, and get off Israels back. For the Sunnis, it is a win- win deal.
12 years
just take them to court mr saniora and let justice decide
12 years
Saniora and his gangs are thieves. M8 including Aoun are bigger thieves. So, what to expect from two thieves: More theft.
12 years
@ immune to Aoun syndrome, you are perfectly right, and it is not just about when they came to governement, lets not forget when they were obstructing the old one, khaymet downtown for a year, destroying profits for all businesses downtown, the july war, did Hezbollah rebuild the airport roads that the Israeli destroy? i dont think so. We are still recovering frm the damages even now. March 8th have destroyed Lebanon, and march 14th are too weak to govern it. Too bad both groups are totally unfit to run the country. But one thin for sure, is that M8 is formed of SSNP's or supporters to Syria, they are all crooks. And theyve been askin from the treasury more money in a year than march 14th spent on 5 years although ( 2006 war, Nahr el bared 2007, May 2008, elections to prepare 2009, electricity )
12 years
and let us not forget that hezbollah and nabi berri and michel aoun threatened war and more assassinations unless the March 14 majority gave in and formed a unity government which basically crippled the March 14 government from doing anything. It was not a March 14 government in the end but a unity government that hezbollah and aoun manipulated until they eventually broke their agreement and brought down the March government in 2011.
12 years
I hope some people are not also IMMUNE to common sense! The problem with the $ 11 billion is that there is no trace whatsoever of how where and by whom they were spent except of course the allegations of Mrs Haffar Hassan, those allegations where just figures and tables not supported by ANY OFFICIAL DOCUMENT. Mr Safadis counts however, are supported by the required official document to the cent. Hence, there is no vengeance Mr.Siniora , just common accountability, thus allow me to quote: “if you can’t do the time don’t do the crime”, and please for once do not hide behind your Sunni confession and accuse the current government of harassing you because they are evil Christians who wants revenge form the honest Sunni!
12 years
I am not sure what you two are on, but whatever it is, it sure as hell working.
If you want to get into the whole sectarian argument, no one is more sectarian that Hezbollah and Aoun. We all agree that Hezbollah is a religious political party (for those of you who need to be spoon-fed: imagine a political party led by an Archbishop or a Mufti). When Aoun got his share in the government he claimed that he brought back the Christian's rights, if that's not sectarian tell me what is.
So I am not sure which specific conspiracy theory you two are blurting out, but whatever it is: it is as effective as Aoun's anger management sessions.
12 years
LET US NOT FORGET that hezbolah, nabi berri and aoun threatened civil war, more assassinations, continued closing of parliament and "tent city" UNTIL March 14 agreed on the "unity government". a Unity Government was formed crippling anything March 14 wanted to do and was later brought down when March 8 broke their agreement and formed their own government in 2011.
12 years
@FlameThrower
Fortunately you are not the generic type of March 8 supporter, you know... the death-to-america or the aounak-jayi-men-allah type. But unfortunately your argument fails to make any sense.
The same way you want to know where the 11B went, I want to know where the 6B went. Now see, when I put my brains to work and consider what kind of expenses the government must have had from 2005 to 2010, I get the following:
1. Reconstruction of infrastructure and funds for the displaced due to the 2006 war caused by March 8 mind you
3. Funding the army for Nahr el Bared
4. Tourism losses from: 2006 war, 2007 Downtown sit-in, 2008 May 7 events
5. Debt-interest payments
6. Other government operation expenses (ministry by ministry, employee by employee)
7. Corruption (I do not blindly defend the previous government)
Feel free to lay out the expenses of the current government using your common sense, and then your argument might get you somewhere.
12 years
Find me an article that clearly shows the "professional accounting" figures that Mr. Safadi is presenting.
I can not wrap my head around how the government spent $6B in 1 year. Oh and should I mention it is the government that promised us it will end the debt?
Regarding my fanatics reference, I was talking about most March-8 people who post on this website. Fanatics are everywhere, but one team has more facts than conspiracy-theories if you know what I mean.
12 years
ALL of them are thieves. Blue, orange, green, yellow, red... they're ALL stealing our money and put you, me, our children and the upcoming generations in debt. ALL OF THEM!
12 years
The Lebanese from the highest to the lowest ranking are thieves. No matter what religion or sect they come from ...thieves. From the day they open their eyes they are told and trained to steal...with a pat on the back and a "bravo ya batal". Nuke this useless country to hell. We export nothing but disgrace...
12 years
I am sorry to agree with you.
Justice is not vengeance. Hopefully, there will be justice. Until then, the obvious suspects can continue to hide and to break the sound barrier.