Berri: Parliament to Address Tax Law after Constitutional Council's Decision, By-Elections May Rest in Peace

Speaker Nabih Berri said on Wednesday that the parliament awaits for the Constitutional Council's decision as for “amending or annulling the tax hike law” after which the legislative assembly will approach the file, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

“We are waiting for the decision of the Constitutional Council regarding the tax hike law. The council can either invalidate the whole law or request the revocation of some articles. Based on what is decided by the Council comes the work of the parliament,” Berri told the daily.

Last week, the Constitutional Council ordered a suspension of the implementation of the new tax law that was approved to fund a new wage scale for civil servants and the armed forces, a day after ten MPs led by Kataeb Party chief Sami Genayel filed an appeal against it.

The suspension is aimed at “studying the appeal in form and content,” the Council had said.

The Council, Lebanon's highest constitutional court, also decided to hold a September 15 session to “discuss the appeal” and “an open-ended session on September 18 to issue a ruling should the appeal be accepted.”

On the parliamentary by-elections to fill three vacant seats in Keserwan and Tripoli, Berri expressed belief that they will not be held, “may it rest in peace,” he said.

The by-elections are supposed to be held on September 24 to fill the vacant Maronite seat of President Michel Aoun, and the Alawite seat in Tripoli left vacant by the death of MP Badr Wannous and another Greek Orthodox seat left vacant by the resignation of MP Robert Fadel.

As for the upcoming parliamentary elections slated in 2018, Berri said: “No fear for the approaching elections,” but warned of the repercussions of disrupting the vote saying “if they (politicians) want a coup, let them obstruct the elections.”