The Council of Ministers, convening Thursday at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, approved a series of financial and administrative measures, including grants for military personnel and a string of high-level appointments.
Effective July 1, active-duty military personnel will receive financial grants of 14 million Lebanese pounds, while retirees will be granted 12 million pounds. The decision was among several announced by Information Minister Paul Morcos following the session.
In a move outside the official agenda, Dr. Georges Maarawi was appointed Director General of the Ministry of Finance.
The Cabinet also made sweeping appointments across key institutions. Ghassan Khairallah was named Secretary General of the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR), with Youssef Karam and Ibrahim Shahrour appointed as Vice Presidents. Ziad Nasr was designated Government Commissioner, while Houssam Itani, Georgio Kallas and Firas Abou Diab were selected as part-time members of the Council.
Ahmad Oweidat was appointed Director General of Ogero, the state-owned telecommunications provider.
Morcos also announced Cabinet approval for the recruitment of officers according to military branches. In addition, the government approved training programs for air traffic controllers, maintenance work on technical equipment and the transfer of diplomats from abroad to the central administration in preparation for a broader review of employment practices.
President Joseph Aoun emphasized the importance of holding parliamentary elections on schedule and urged the ministries of Tourism and Interior to prepare for the return of Gulf tourism and reinforce internal security, respectively.
He further called on ministers to disclose the achievements made during their first 100 days in office and underscored the need to safeguard the confidentiality of Cabinet meeting records.
In parallel, Aoun condemned continued Israeli violations but praised the resilience of southern citizens who participated in recent municipal and local elections despite ongoing tensions.
President Joseph Aoun briefed the Cabinet on his recent meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reported on the outcomes of his official visit to the United Arab Emirates.
The Cabinet meeting was preceded by a private discussion between President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam to review the latest political and national developments.
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