Baabda: The Cabinet, chaired by President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, and attended by Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, convened at Baabda Palace on Wednesday, approving a series of appointments and reviewing key national issues. The meeting began with a discussion between the President and the Prime Minister on the agenda's main items.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, during the session, President Aoun commented on Parliament's failure to reach quorum the previous day, calling it 'a democratic act in form, but harmful in substance.' He stressed that 'the country's interest must prevail above all political considerations' and that 'boycotting institutions disrupts decision-making and reflects poorly on Lebanon's image.'
Prime Minister Salam condemned the killing of Elio Abu Hanna, emphasizing that 'the illegal weapons still present in certain Palestinian camps pose a direct threat to Lebanon's stability.' He noted progress in the collection of heavy weapons from the camps, with more than 20 truckloads delivered, but urged completion of the disarmament process.
The Cabinet approved several administrative appointments, including Imad Adnan Al-Bassat as a member of the Board of the Tobacco and Tumbac Authority (R©gie). Hassan Khaled Dinnawi was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Tripoli Economic Zone, with Youssef Maawad, Dima Khalil Hussein, Ibrahim Touma, Hania El-Shahal, Michel Kobeh, and Abdel-Majid El-Rafei as non-resident members. Tanios Aql was appointed Director General of Water Resources.
The government also tasked a ministerial committee, now chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, with submitting within one week a comprehensive report on proposed amendments to the electoral law, based on drafts prepared by the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs.
Minister of Information Paul Morcos announced that the Cabinet also approved measures to reassess and streamline compensation mechanisms for damage caused by the Beirut Port explosion and Israeli aggression since October 2023. He reiterated that 'the government remains fully committed to holding parliamentary elections on schedule and safeguarding the voting rights of Lebanese abroad.'