BEIRUT: The Parliament Thursday resumed salary scale discussions with lawmakers expected to endorse the new salary hike for civil servants and public and private teachers.

"The salary scale will be approved and will be planned in the right way," Minister of Finance Ali Hassan Khalil told local media.

Wednesday’s Parliament session concluded with the approval of five new taxes and levies.

Change and Reform Bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan justified the increased taxes, saying that they would provide the government with the ability to pay increased salaries. "How else will we fund the salary scale?"

The salary scale will impact thousands of public employees.

Public and private school teachers have routinely protested for increased benefits and full employment.

The existing proposals for the salary scale has been objected by judges, who say they are at risk of losing benefits, including a solidarity fund, which pays twice their salary every other month.

The cost of the bill that would offer public sector workers, including teachers, new salary packages is estimated at LL1.2 trillion ($800 million).