It also agreed to hold successive meetings to discuss the 2022 state budget, without which it will be impossible to hold the parliamentary elections next May.

The Cabinet has been silent since last October due to the absence of the representatives of the Amal and Hezbollah movement parties who demand the replacement of Judge Tarek Bitar, in charge of the investigation into the explosion in the capital’s port in August 2020.

In this regard, President Michel Aoun stated that this forceful measure violated the separation of powers stipulated by the Constitution.

In any case, the interruption, he said, deteriorated the general situation of the country, which is going through the worst economic and financial crisis in decades.

Finance Minister Youssef Khalil announced that there will be no other taxes in the state budget and that there is no agreement on changes in the exchange rate of Lebanese pounds for dollars.

Tied to the United States since 1997, the Lebanese economy maintains an official rate of 1,500 Lebanese pounds per USD, prompting retailers to take that as a reference to raise the prices of their merchandise.

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