BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman warned that Labor Minister’s Charbel Nahhas could lose his post if he fails to sign a Cabinet decree over the transportation allowance, Al-Jadeed reported late Friday.

“There are measures that can be taken against Nahhas if he remains adamant on his position [of not signing the decree],” Sleiman told the local station.

“Either the minister is sacked via two-thirds vote by ministers or his post is changed as stipulated by the law,” he added.

On Jan. 20, Nahhas signed a Cabinet decree approving a wage hike that saw an increase of the minimum wage to LL675,000 but refused to put his signature on a temporary decree that affirms the illegal transportation allowance pending its legalization.

The Cabinet had authorized Nahhas to prepare a draft law that would empower the government to adjust the daily transportation and the yearly education allowances, but the minister hasn’t delivered the draft law.

Nahhas, part of the Change and Reform bloc, has voiced his disapproval of keeping the transportation allowance and minimum wage as separate and argues that it is illegal for the transportation allowance to be set by the government.

Sleiman said that previous Cabinets had set transportation fees and that it had become a norm.

“It is not permissible to keep a Cabinet decision pending. Since 1995, the transportation allowance has been dealt with through a decree and after 15 years issuing a decree has become a norm and the norm has become similar to a law,” Sleiman told Al-Jadeed.

In response to Sleiman’s remarks, Nahhas was quoted by Ad-Diyar newspaper Saturday as saying: “I will not violate the law and if you can fire me, then go ahead.”

Prime Minister Najib Mikati has also criticized Nahhas’ delay in putting his signature on the decree.

Mikati, who suspended Cabinet sessions two weeks ago over sharp differences with Change and Reform bloc ministers, including Nahhas, said he would restart Cabinet meetings only when violations of protocol by the ministers had stopped, and productive work could be resumed.