Qortbawi Hesitant on Approval of Treasury Loan to Fund STL
Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi hasn’t so far expressed his opinion on a letter sent to the cabinet by Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi demanding a loan from the treasury to pay Lebanon’s share of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s budget, sources said Monday.
The sources told several dailies that Qortbawi’s lack of response goes back to the need to hold consultations with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun and to his belief that the cabinet should decide on the matter.
Qortbawi later told Akhbar al-Yawm news agency that the funding should be discussed at cabinet.
Asked if the funding should be made from his ministry’s budget, he replied: “We don’t have a budget to begin with.”
He added that he does not know how the tribunal will be funded, stressing that cabinet should take the appropriate decision on this issue.
Qortbawi is one of the ministers representing Aoun in the cabinet. The FPM chief and Hizbullah have made their stances clear that they oppose to fund the STL.
Safadi has sent the letter with the approval of Premier Najib Miqati who is seeking a cabinet consensus on the funding.
Informed sources said that the failure of Qortbawi to approve the treasury loan would be an obstacle to the government’s approval of the STL funding.
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