As part of their ongoing engagement with parliamentary blocs,DRI and the Lebanese Foundation for Permanent Civil Peace (LFPCP) have officially handed over two crucial draft laws on Municipal Fees and Surtaxes,along with their collection procedures. They highlighted the parliamentary blocs’ pivotal role in advancing and enacting these draft laws.
During their meetings with political representatives,the draft laws were presented to MP Samy Gemayel,head of the kataeb party,MP Gebran Bassil,head of the “Strong Lebanon” bloc; MP George Adwan,representative of the “Strong Republic” bloc; MP Nehmat Frem,leader of the “Project Watan”; and independent MP Jihad al-Samad.
The visits began with a meeting with the head of the Kataeb Party,MP Samy Gemayel,who praised the drafts prepared and emphasized on the importance of cooperation between MPs and NGOs to further develop proposals for new draft laws and push for their approval in the parliament.
During their meetings with key representatives,the draft laws were presented to MP Gebran Bassil,head of the Strong Lebanon bloc; MP George Adwan,representative of the Strong Republic bloc; MP Nehmet Frem,leader of the Project Watan bloc; and independent Parliament member MP Jihad al-Samad.
MP Gebran Bassil expressed keen interest in the draft laws,recognising their significance in improving municipal finances and supporting their recovery from the financial crisis. He emphasised the importance of placing this matter on the agenda of upcoming parliament sessions and encouraged further dialogues with various parliamentary blocs.
Similarly,MP George Adwan acknowledged the draft laws’ importance for ensuring the sustainability of municipal operations in Lebanon. He pledged to study the proposals and involve his bloc in constructive discussions before presenting them to the General Assembly of the Lebanese Parliament.
MP Nehmat Frem welcomed the draft laws,emphasising their potential to revive municipalities that have been grappling with financial,logistical,and human challenges. He advocated for workshops bringing together parliamentary committees to review and discuss the proposals,as his bloc is committed to providing thoughtful feedback and supporting expanded administrative decentralisation to promote local development.
MP Jihad al-Samad also recognised the significance of the draft laws in enhancing and developing the role of municipalities. He noted the parallel efforts of the parliamentary sub-committee working on modeising the Municipal Law.
Moreover,Both organisations visited the head of the Democratic Gathering bloc,MP Teymour Jumblatt,who expressed his interest in the drafts and pledged to provide technical support to bring them to the General Assembly of the Parliament.
The General Director of the Directorate General of Local Administrations and Councils,Mrs Faten Abou Hassan,also received the proposed draft laws for review and feedback.
The collaborative efforts between DRI,LFPCP,and the parliamentary blocs signify a determined stride towards bolstering municipal systems in Lebanon,contributing to the betterment of local goveance and public services amidst the challenging economic conditions faced by the nation.