The Lebanese parliament on Monday approved the 2022 state budget law with a 63-vote majority, while 37 lawmakers voted against it, and 6 others refrained from voting.

The lawmakers ratified a two-fold increase in the salaries of the public sector employees’, servicemen, contractors and the retirees.

The exchange rate of the customs against the US dollar was valued at 15,000 L.L.

The parliament also approved hiking passport issuance fees to LBP 1 million for a validity of five years and LBP 2 million for a validity of 10 years.

Legislators ratified exempting retirement salaries from income taxes.

Lebanese students abroad have also been exempted from university certificate endorsement fees.

MP Ali Fayyad said that the Loyalty to Resistance bloc managed to add three items to the state budget, including the salary hike, cancer drugs funds and the Lebanese University budget increase.

Source: Al-Manar English Website