Caretaker cabinet approves draft 2025 budget

BEIRUT — The caretaker Cabinet approved on Monday the draft budget for 2025 during a meeting in the Grand Serail, according to the state-run National News Agency. The cabinet also approved a "draft decree to give temporary compensation and financial assistance to all public sector workers and retirees who benefit from a pension."

Moreover, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the current situation at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

Following the cabinet meeting, caretaker Information Minister Ziad Makary said that the cabinet approved the draft budget for 2025 after taking into account some of the ministers' comments.

He also said that as of Oct. 1, a "temporary monthly compensation equivalent to two times the basic salary, compensation, monthly wage, or pension shall be added to the compensation received by all active employees, retirees, military personnel in service, and contractors."

The minister added that starting in November, an additional salary would be added to the two salaries and starting in December, a fourth salary would be added.

Moreover, all employees would be given a fixed financial assistance of ten million pounds for the months of September and December each, according to Makary.

Makary also said that the prime minister participated in a meeting of the National Emergency Committee, in the presence of representatives of ministries and humanitarian organizations, to discuss ways to respond to the growing number of displaced people from the southern towns that were subjected to Israeli attacks today. 

Israeli attacks on south Lebanon and the Bekaa have left at least 274 killed in Lebanon on Monday, according to the Ministry of Health.