As Lebanese await the outcome of talks currently held between political forces with hopes to end the political stalemate, Speaker Nabih Berri called on the Parliament Bureau to convene next Wednesday.
Although Berri did not provide details for the agenda of the Bureau’s session, several observers said the Speaker’s invitation is an attempt to exert pressure on political forces to speed up the formation of the cabinet, or to hold a government session in which ministers discuss the 2019 Budget, currently at a critical phase.
Sources from the Free Patriotic Movement, the Mustaqbal Movement and the Lebanese Forces preferred not to comment on the Speaker’s move before circumstances related to the invitation become clearer.
Deputy Michel Moussa, a member of Berri’s parliamentary bloc, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday that the session might be held to discuss the budget issue.
Legal expert Paul Morkos described the Speaker’s move as a “positive pressure.”
“Because the cabinet formation process overpassed the reasonable lead time, we reached a political and constitutional situation that allows and requires a cabinet session that could ease the needs of the people and to pass this year’s budget,” Morkos told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The Cabinet should meet to approve the draft state budget before sending it to Parliament.
“Legally, Berri should wait until the government studies the budget and then refer it to Parliament before calling for a session to discuss it,” the legal expert said.
Sources close to the Speaker told the Central News Agency there are several draft laws of a financial nature that should be approved before the birth of a new cabinet.
This week would constitute the deadline in the agenda of the Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to determine his final say concerning the government formation process.
