Lebanon’s Khalil: No parliament approval …no salaries

Lebanon’s Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil reiterated his refusal to change his stance regarding the financial crisis and the payment of civil servants’ salaries at the end of the month, according to As Safir newspaper report published on Tuesday

Khalil is insisting that the road to paying the salaries passes through the parliament and if the parliament fails to approve the extra-budgetary spending no salaries will be paid to public employees

“I will not violate the law to pay the salaries of employees,” Khalil told As Safir newspaper.

Khalil will hold a press conference in the upcoming two days to reiterate his stance regarding the dispute, the daily added

Khalil, who is Speaker Nabih Berri’s key aide, rejects to violate the law on spending like previous cabinets did.

However, Future movement,which is affiliated to the March 14 alliance considers Khalil’s move an attempt to press MPs to attend a parliamentary session and legislate despite a presidential vacuum as the March 14 alliance rejects to attend sessions unless to elect a new head of state.

Al-Liwaa newspaper reported that minister Khalil met on Monday twice with Future l lawmakers Ghazi Youssef and Jamal al-Jarrah in an attempt to bridge the gap.

“The crisis remains,” Future MP Ahmed Fatfat told al-Joumhouria newspaper on Tuesday

He noted that Future Movement presented several solutions to resolve the dispute but “the finance minister is holding onto his stance.”

Lebanon remains without a president . While the March 14 have been attending all the election sessions , the March 8 alliance led by Hezbollah has been boycotting them. On the other hand March 14 has been boycotting parliament legislation sessions in the absence of a new Lebanese president .