SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 28 March 2024, Thursday |

Mikati goes around the bush to rescue his government, but the limit of his three ‘No’s’ is Haret Hreik

Before the ink of the statement issued by Hezbollah and the Amal Movement dried up, in which they announced their return to participating in the Council of Ministers meeting, the Prime Minister Najib Mikati hastened to announce that the government will convene next week.

However, his desire collided with the obstacles of the Cabinet’s agenda, the provisions of which were contained in the “bilateral” statement, the approval of the general budget, and the discussion of the economic recovery plan, as well as everything related to improving the living situation.

Of course, the content of the first item is clear as it included the funds allocated to the ministries. Perhaps the delay in bringing its items to light has been subject to amendments in terms of the ministries’ share of the funds allocated in the draft budget, and it may have adopted certain criteria that allow removing a large burden from the ministers, In order to liquidate the funds allocated to close the mouths that are about to explode, especially that their fragments may reach the ballot boxes if they manage to pass the mines until their due date in May.

The second title or item came loose in terms of the recovery plan, leaving the margins open to determine priorities. Of course, the government’s first session will be the first test for its return from the intensive care room, either to continue or to explode because the bargaining principle will remain dominant, especially since what was mentioned in Mikati’s speech to one of the written newspapers, emphasizes that the limits for turning the corners is “Haret Hreik” and the three no’s, “No one”, “no one”, “no one,” has the right to set the agenda for the Prime Minister, who respected the charter so that he does not challenge anyone, and no one can challenge his constitutional rights, but the official statement of the “duo” is clear in terms of the reasons that prompted it to participate.

As for the port issue, it no longer requires a government effort to get the case out of the bottleneck and ask the judicial investigator Tarek Bitar to issue his presumptive decision quickly. But the judicial formations are still pending, and this matter casts a shadow on Bitar’s work through losing the quorum in the Cassation Commission, not to mention the Central Bank of Lebanon, and the Free Patriotic Movement’s demand to hold it accountable.

It turned out that Mikati’s approach to this matter is radically different from what the “Aounists” aspire to, especially when he confirmed that “the Central Bank contributes with us to the recovery plan and the International Monetary Fund plan, and we need his cooperation,” at a time when the measures taken by Judge Ghada Aoun in a short period of time confirm the convergence of the two positions.

Today, Bassil confirmed in a press interview that “his agreement with Hezbollah failed to build a state,” and some considered it a pressure card towards including appointments on the government’s agenda in the first or second session. Will suspending participation in the government this time comes from the Covenant’s team?

    Source:
  • Sawt Beirut International