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Finance committee approves most of Defense Ministry budget and defers some articles
Parliament’s Finance and Budget Committee Monday approved most of the Defense Ministry's allocations in the draft 2019 state budget while deferring action on some articles, committee head MP Ibrahim Kanaan announced.
Kanaan said the ministry’s budget saw reductions in appropriations for catering and education, among other items. The committee also agreed to postpone the Lebanese Army’s annual weapons funding until 2020, instead of 2021 as Cabinet had stipulated in the draft sent to Parliament. Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab, who spoke alongside Kanaan, said the reductions in this year’s budget couldn’t be repeated every year “as the Army has many national and security-[related] responsibilities ... and it must be ready.”
Kanaan said another session would be held with the Army to discuss the articles that had been deferred.