Berri: Budget Draft Referred to Committee, Wage Scale on Parliament's Agenda

Speaker Nabih Berri said on Wednesday that the long-awaited wage scale file is not included in the draft state budget that was submitted to the parliament today, but assured that it is on the agenda of the upcoming legislative session on May 15, media reports said.

“The salary scale is listed on the agenda of the parliament meeting scheduled on May 15,” Berri was quoted as saying.

He notified the deputies that a copy of the state budget was submitted to the parliament on Wednesday and that he referred it to the Budget and Finance committee for studying.

In March, the cabinet endorsed Lebanon's 2017 state budget, the country's first budget in 12 years, which was sent to parliament for ratification.

Due to political disputes, Lebanon has not approved a state budget since 2005.

The cabinet discussed the country's budget amid mounting pressures from the public sector demanding a government approval of the long-awaited wage scale bill.

Demands for the salary hike bill has triggered street protests and sit-ins in order to push the government into approving the demand.