Speaking on Friday after chairing a joint parliamentary committee session, Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab stressed the urgency of accelerating legislative work in parallel with government efforts. “This reflects the importance of speeding up legislation so that Parliament can facilitate urgent matters,” he said, noting that the committees addressed five items on their agenda.
The first centered on amendments to the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) law, designed to encourage private sector investment in state projects. Bou Saab highlighted that Kleiate Airport would be the first project to benefit from the revised framework. “Any investor was waiting for these changes before committing. Our country needs investments,” he added.
On the second item, lawmakers rejected the government’s request for exceptional powers to adjust traffic fines. While acknowledging the necessity of reform, Bou Saab explained that MPs asked the government to resubmit the proposal with clearer justifications and specific amendments.
The Consumer Protection bill, considered an essential reform, was approved as the third agenda item and will now be referred to the General Assembly.
The fourth approved item was a $250 million agreement between Lebanon and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to fund emergency projects aimed at rehabilitating infrastructure and repairing damage caused by Israeli attacks. Bou Saab described the agreement as “vital.”
Finally, the committees unanimously endorsed Lebanon’s accession to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, following a presentation by the Minister of Environment.
The session brought together several ministers, lawmakers and representatives of relevant administrations. All approved items are now scheduled for debate in the General Assembly.
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