The Parliament convened on Thursday for the third day in a row to discuss the draft 2019 state budget, as MPs are set to vote on it in the evening session.

A large number of lawmakers seem to agree that the draft budget is not enough to repair Lebanon’s harrowing financial situation, despite the fact that their representing ministers in the Cabinet have voted in favor of it in the session.

MP Faysal Karami abstained from voting on the budget seeing that any response whether yes or no would make any difference in the result.

In response, PM Saad Hariri retaliated on Karami’s statement as he pointed out that the Tripoli MP's parliamentary bloc, belonging to the Consultative Gathering party, is represented in the Cabinet by Minister of State for Foreign Trade Hasan Mrad and he voted in favor of the budget without putting forward any criticisms or suggestions on articles.

“The Parliament makes independent decisions. Having a minister to represent a parliamentary bloc does not restrict the MP from that bloc from pronouncing on his opinion,” Speaker Nabih Berri rejoined.

The Parliament might extend its 3-day assembly on the draft 2019 state budget for a closed session on Friday noon, that won’t be broadcasted live, if no decision was reached by the end of Thursday’s evening session, according to NBN news channel.

Information obtained by Al-Jadeed conveyed that MP Nawwaf al-Moussawi has submitted his written resignation to the Speaker of the Parliament.

The Parliament has been convening for morning and evening sessions since Tuesday to discuss the budget.