Lebanon To Sack Senior Information Minister Over Bad Blood With Arab Countries
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Roshan Amiri
- . November 20, 2021
- . Update: November 20, 2021 6:50 pm
Lebanon– Cabinet session is on the anvil for Lebanon that is reeling under severe poverty and no subsidy for medicines as of now. Prices have skyrocketed forcing civilians to enter the Health Ministry and protest the high prices.
In another move, that has hampered Lebanese relations with its long-term funding partner, Saudi Arabia. Apparently, a source close to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has disclosed to certain a media house that the Information Minister George Kordahi will now be asked to submit his resignation from the government. This is slated to happen at the soon-to-be-held cabinet session.
It seems Kordahi’s recent statements regarding Saudi Arabia did not go too well with them prompting the Kingdom and other Gulf states to cut diplomatic and economic ties with Lebanon. It is a harsh move to a country which is reeling under a depreciating currency, no economic trade and oil and other amenities being supported merely through subsidies pumped in by the government itself.
On the flipside, the Iran backed Lebanese political group Hezbollah feels otherwise. But its own power is diminishing and there is possibility no one is taking their insistence Kordahi should not resign to defuse the diplomatic crisis, citing “national sovereignty”, seriously.
Speaking on the dismissal of a senior diplomat at the to happen Cabinet session, President Michel Aoun said he would have preferred the dismissal could be prevented and that Kordahi could be given the chance to decide what to do, on his own.
Under political clout, cabinet sessions could have happened as Mikati took hold of office. But Mikati has given out a clear message that a session is important to happen now. He intends to discuss over 100 items on the cabinet’s agenda. “So, we need to hold a session soon to manage the state’s affairs and expedite the public budget and refer it to parliament for approval, in parallel with approving the required reforms (to reach an) agreement with the International Monetary Fund, speaking at the General Labor Union Headquarters right after he discussed the idea of the meeting with his President.
