Constitutional Council Suspends Article 49
The Constitutional Council discussing a controversial Article 49 of the state budget decided to temporarily suspend it until a final decision is reached on the appealed article, LBCI said Thursday.
The Council, which held a meeting today, scheduled another meeting on May 6, added LBCI.
Earlier, LBCI said the Council was studying the appealed article and will either “totally annul its implementation,” or appoint a rapporteur to study and submit a report, within ten days, on the appeal presented by a group of lawmakers.”
A member from the Council, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told LBCI that “granting Lebanese citizenship is linked to blood-bond not to land-bond,” adding that “the Council will study whether the ownership has any potential of converting into disguised naturalization.”
Article 49 of the state budget stipulates granting residence permits to every Arab or foreign who buys a housing unit in Lebanon.
A group of mainly Kataeb lawmakers led by Kataeb chief MP Sami Gemayel lodged an appeal Tuesday before the Constitutional Council to challenge the article.
President Michel Aoun has also urged the Parliament to reevaluate the article.
“Sometimes the legislative authority passes draft laws within the budget. Article 49 is the "budget knight". The council will discuss the extent to which this article harmonizes with the constitution,” added the source.
Source: Naharnet
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