Finance Committee to begin article-by-article review of budget draft

BEIRUT — The parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee, chaired by MP Ibrahim Kanaan, met Thursday to wrap up its discussion of the 2026 budget draft. The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, committee members, and several ministry officials, including budget director Carole Abou Khalil.

At the end of the meeting, Kanaan announced that the general debate had ended, paving the way for the committee to begin, in upcoming meetings, a review of the explanatory preamble and the legal articles of the text, one by one.

Exchanges with the finance minister focused mainly on the status of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the prospects for reaching an agreement following the latest round of talks in Washington.

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Beyond the IMF dossier, the discussion also covered renewed talks with the World Bank, which, according to Jaber, plans to send a delegation to Beirut next week to examine a series of 30-year development loans destined for vital sectors such as electricity, water, and basic infrastructure.

“These projects could offer much-needed relief and jump-start an overdue modernization, provided that Parliament swiftly ratifies the necessary agreements,” said Kanaan, calling for a constructive approach to secure this funding and meet the population’s essential needs.

Kanaan also warned against any tax hikes or the creation of new taxes without thorough parliamentary scrutiny and a comprehensive socio-economic impact assessment. He stressed the need to prioritize growth over mere budgetary balance and advocated for a fair and sustainable salary readjustment, alongside a serious debate on civil service reform.