Prime Minister Najib Mikati and President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Dec 6, 2021. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)
BEIRUT — After meeting with President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Tuesday that his cabinet is scheduled to meet next week to discuss the draft budget for the current year and other "urgent and important matters,” without determining the exact date.
Here’s what we know:
• "President Aoun and I have agreed on several topics," Mikati announced at the presidential palace in Baabda. “We will meet again next week in the framework of the cabinet meeting, during which we will discuss the draft budget and other urgent and important matters.”
• On Monday, Mikati said that he had been working with the finance minister to ensure that the draft budget “is ready by the end of the week” so that cabinet can meet “early next week.”
• Mikati, whose government was prevented from convening by Shiite ministers over concerns about Judge Tarek Bitar's probe into the Beirut port blast, vowed a few weeks ago to call a cabinet meeting as soon as the draft budget plan was finished.
• Hezbollah and the Amal Movement issued a joint statement Saturday evening announcing their decision to resume government discussions. The parties promised that their ministers would attend government meetings devoted to the adoption of the draft budget plan, as well as talks about the economic recovery plan and other social concerns.