Berri Says Parliament Governs its Own Affairs, No 'Restrictions' on Session’s Topics

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Friday that Parliament is "autonomous."

“There are no restrictions on the draft laws or proposals that the Parliament Bureau decides to discuss,” Berri affirmed.

He added that the President has the right to return laws and proposals only after they had been issued by the Parliament.

“This is a Constitutional rule and this is what jurisprudence agrees on," Berri said.

MTV had earlier reported that Parliament will be “obliged to discuss draft laws and proposals specified by President Michel Aoun and Prime Minsiter Najib Miqati.”

The TV channel said it had learned from an informed source that the Constitution gives the president the right to open an extraordinary legislative session, in agreement with the prime minister.

“Aoun and Miqati can set the time and the program of the session, and this is what has already been done,” the source told MTV.