Report: Jumblat Rejects Raising Retirement Age of Top Officers due to Strain on Treasury

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat reportedly rejects raising the retirement age of senior security officers that was recently proposed by General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, said As Safir newspaper on Friday.

He told the daily: “Such a suggestion would incur major strains on the treasury.”

“The initiative is a joke because we would then be faced with a large number of majors in the security ranks,” he explained.

“We therefore have no choice but to resort to extending their terms,” he stated.

Ibrahim had proposed raising the retirement age of senior army officers for three years aimed at ending a growing political crisis.

The head of General Security stressed that his initiative is well-studied, denying that it would put financial pressure on the treasury by keeping top officers in their posts.

“No one has the right to express his viewpoint on something which he does not know,” said Ibrahim about the critics of his plan.

Media reports said however that Ibrahim's proposal would not see light given the disputes among political blocs.

Ibrahim made his initiative to resolve the controversy on the appointment of high-ranking military and security officials.

The Free Patriotic Movement of MP Michel Aoun has rejected the extension of the terms of the top military and security brass because the lawmaker wants his son-in-law Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, who is the Commando Regiment chief, to become army chief.

Defense Minister Samir Moqbel extended last week the terms of the army commander, the chief of staff and the secretary general of the Higher Defense Council.

M.T.

D.A.