Report: Berri, Miqati Differ over Nature of Upcoming Parliament Session

A dispute emerged between Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati over the nature of the upcoming three-day parliament session, reported the daily An Nahar Saturday.

It said that Miqati wants the session to strictly address the extension of the terms and retirement ages of security officials, while Berri wants it to be a normal legislative session aimed at addressing draft laws.

Remarks had been made in recent days that the session may be unconstitutional because of its expanded agenda, which includes some 44 articles.

The consultations and legislative authority explained that a caretaker cabinet cannot attend a parliament session unless it was dedicated to tackle emergency affairs, reported al-Joumhouria daily Saturday.

Miqati informed Berri, through his advisor Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, of the authority's ruling and therefore told him that he would not be able to attend the session unless it addresses the extension of the tenure of security officials.

In line with the constitution, he said, he would not attend a parliament session whose 44 articles are not urgent.

In order to do so, stated al-Joumhouria, an extraordinary parliament session is needed to strictly address raising the retirement ago of military and security officials.

Meanwhile, Berri's circles told As Safir newspaper on Saturday that article 69 of the constitution stipulates that in light of a caretaker cabinet, parliament would be in a constant state of session in an extraordinary manner until a new government is formed.

Later on Saturday, the independent March 14 MPs and Lebanese Forces bloc announced their boycott of next week's session.

The parliament session is set to take place on July 1, 2, and 3.