Beirut: House Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Parliament Bureau at Ain al-Tineh, attended by Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab, Secretaries Alain Aoun and Hadi Abou Hassan, Commissioners Michel Moussa and Karim Kabara, and Secretary-General Adnan Daher.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, Bou Saab stated after the meeting that the bureau approved the agenda for the next parliamentary session, scheduled for Monday, September 29, at 11:00 a.m. The agenda includes 17 items ranging from government draft laws to legislative proposals by MPs. Bou Saab emphasized that parliament is aligning its work with the government to avoid delays on reform-related or citizen-focused legislation.
The agenda for the upcoming session covers a range of topics, including agreements with the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development and amendments to the Central Bank law. It also includes Lebanon's accession to international conventions on biodiversity and cultural diversity, adjustments to the public-private partnership law, and a World Bank loan of USD 250 million. Additionally, it addresses provisions on consumer protection, customs reinstatements, retirement benefits, and tax agreements.
Regarding electoral law amendments, Bou Saab reiterated that the responsibility for placing urgent draft laws before parliament rests with Speaker Berri. He emphasized that the subcommittee is studying all related proposals to present them collectively to the General Assembly.
In other developments, Speaker Berri received outgoing U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson on a farewell visit. He also met UN Resident Coordinator Imran Riza for discussions on the UN's reconstruction programs in Lebanon.