Parliament OKs New Governorate as Protesters Spell Out Demands
In line of a legislative session set to convene on Wednesday at Nejmeh Square in Downtown Beirut, a number of protesters rallied adjacent to the parliament building in a bid to pressure the authorities into approving their demands, as lawmakers approved the establishment of a new governorate.
Civil Defense volunteers gathered in Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square demanding the parliament to sign a decree that makes them full-time employees. They also demand that the retirement age be raised.
On the other hand, contract teachers at vocational schools demanded the parliament to approve their long awaited rights, and threatened to escalate measures if they were not approved.
Moreover, contractual public secondary school teachers have threatened to block the streets.
Lebanese army veterans rallied in Riad al-Solh as they refused installed payments for pensioners.
Before the legislative session convened Speaker Nabih Berri met with MP Ibrahim Kanaan, head of the parliamentary budget and finance committee, and MP George Adwan.
The Speaker has called the parliament for the meeting to study and approve draft laws listed on the agenda of the two previous sessions last month that saw the approvals of the salary scale and tax hike bills.
At the beginning of the meeting, Berri said: “The parliament will turn into a permanent workshop, and a public session for accountability will be held on a semi-weekly basis.”
The lawmakers approved the establishment of a new administrative division (governorate) of Keserwan-Jbeil.
MP Neemtallah Abi Nasr, who was the first to introduce the idea of establishing said governorate, told the press: “The Keserwan-Jbeil governorate will be based in Jounieh. We demand the allotment of the necessary funds in order to issue decrees to establish it.”
Source: Naharnet
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