Kuwait: National Assembly to Grill Finance Minister

File image used for illustrative purpose. Kuwait parliament meets in Kuwait City. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee
File image used for illustrative purpose. Kuwait parliament meets in Kuwait City. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee
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Kuwait: National Assembly to Grill Finance Minister

File image used for illustrative purpose. Kuwait parliament meets in Kuwait City. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee
File image used for illustrative purpose. Kuwait parliament meets in Kuwait City. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee

A motion filed by Kuwaiti lawmakers Riyad al-Adasani and Bader al-Mulla to grill Finance Minister Nayef al-Hajraf will be placed on the agenda of a parliamentary session on June 11, announced Acting Speaker of the National Assembly Issa al-Kanderi.

Kanderi told reporters Tuesday that after receiving the deputies’ request, he followed all the procedural measures to inform Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah and the minister in question.

Adasani and Mulla filed the motion to grill the Finance Minister on five major issues - lack of control over budget which prevented reforms and closing accounts, adopting unwise investment policies and harming the rights of pensioners through the mismanagement of social security funds.

In addition, they want to question the Minister on mismanagement of Kuwait Investment Authority, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, which has suffered losses of billions of dollars, and his refusal to answer previous questions by Adasani and Mulla. 

Hajraf asserted last week that he was informed of the grilling by the deputy Speaker, adding that the questioning is an essential constitutional right for lawmakers.

"I'm not afraid of anything concerning the interpellation motion as we enjoy freedom,” he said.

He stressed that he will fully cooperate with the MPs. 



Saudi, Lebanese FMs Discuss Developments in Lebanon

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah meets with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib in New York. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah meets with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib in New York. (SPA)
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Saudi, Lebanese FMs Discuss Developments in Lebanon

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah meets with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib in New York. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah meets with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib in New York. (SPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held talks in New York on Wednesday with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib.

Meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, they discussed the latest developments in Lebanon in wake of Israel’s launching of intense strikes against Hezbollah.

They discussed the danger of the conflict in Gaza expanding in the region, stressing the importance of preserving Lebanon’s security and respecting its sovereignty in line with international law.