Lebanese President Michel Aoun signed a decree on Thursday calling on the country's parliament to hold an exceptional session until March 21.
The session will consider draft laws referred to the parliament, urgent bills or proposals related to the upcoming parliamentary elections, laws concerning bank transfers and draft national budgets for the years 2021 and 2022, among other issues, according to the decree.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced on Wednesday that the 2022 budget would be ready by Friday and that the cabinet would reconvene to discuss the budget. For nearly three months, Hezbollah and the Amal movement have boycotted cabinet meetings, demanding that Tarek Bitar, the judge investigating the Beirut port blast case, be removed from the case.
The declaration of the parliamentary session restores the parliamentary immunity given to MPs while the body is in session.