“Half the budget disappeared”... The National Audiovisual Media Council reveals what happened at the Ministry of Finance

The following statement was issued by Dr. Abdel Hadi Mahfouz, President of the National Audiovisual Media Council:

The National Audiovisual Media Council wishes to inform Lebanese public opinion that it refrained from discussing the Council’s budget with the officials overseeing it at the Ministry of Finance because of what happened when the Council’s 2025 budget was approved. It was approved for an amount whose record was signed by the President of the National Audiovisual Media Council with reservations, as it did not take into account salary increases or the expenses of monitoring media performance by the specialized offices contracted by the National Audiovisual Media Council, due to the absence of a follow-up committee stipulated by the Audiovisual Media Law No. 382/94, which the state is supposed to place at the Council’s disposal.

The National Audiovisual Media Council was then surprised to find that the amount allocated for health insurance had been deducted from the aforementioned budget, reducing it by half without justification. When the Council’s president asked about the reason, the officials at the Ministry of Finance expressed surprise. At that point, the President of the National Audiovisual Media Council submitted to them the draft 2026 budget without discussing it with them, so that last year’s experience would not be repeated.

The National Audiovisual Media Council draws the attention of His Excellency Finance Minister Yassine Jaber to the following: Why is the National Audiovisual Media Council being deprived of the six salary payments approved by the government for employees, especially since they are not included in the Council’s budget? It should be noted that under Law 382/94, the Council’s members are considered to hold first-rank status, like other councils such as the Higher Judicial Council and IDAL. The question is: is this how those who believe in establishing a just and capable state and building institutions are treated? It should also be noted that the salary of a member of the National Audiovisual Media Council is close to the minimum wage, contrary to what many imagine.