Miqati Denies Resignation Over STL Funding as Cabinet Gears up to Discuss State Budget
Premier Najib Miqati’s sources have shrugged off rumors that he would quit, telling Beirut dailies on Monday that the government will continue to work after it succeeded in guaranteeing stability.
“All the information (about the resignation) is just wishes and attempts to create a tumult,” the sources said.
The government will confront all challenges despite the differences in the viewpoints of its members, they stressed, adding it “will continue to work away from the pressure of stances.”
The denial came after reports said that Miqati’s government would resign over controversial issues such as the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the draft state budget.
The sources said the government will discuss the STL funding as part of the 2012 budget but would postpone deliberations on the issue until the remaining articles are discussed.
The tribunal funding “will be discussed calmly and logically similar to the other articles” of the budget, they told the newspapers.
The March 8 forces led by Hizbullah have rejected to fund the court and the party’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said Sunday that the government should resort to voting if it failed to reach agreement on the funding.
However, President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Miqati agree that the issue needs consensus and should not be put up to vote, al-Liwaa daily said.
Also Miqati’s sources insist that discussions at Tuesday’s cabinet session that is set to discuss the draft budget will determine the course that the deliberations on the tribunal funding will take.
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