Miqati Rejects Cabinet to be ‘Underestimated,’ Links Resumption of Sessions to Pledge of Productive Work
Premier Najib Miqati confirmed that there were no mediation efforts to resolve the government crisis that erupted after the cabinet sessions were suspended over a dispute between the PM and ministers loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.
“There are no contacts and no mediations to resolve the current crisis,” Miqati told An Nahar daily published Saturday.
He reiterated that he would call for cabinet sessions only if the ministers agree to hold productive meetings. “Why would we spend 12 hours weekly sitting at the cabinet table if we won’t be productive and if none of the Change and Reform bloc ministers was satisfied?” he wondered.
Miqati slammed Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas for refusing to sign the decree on the controversial transportation allowance linked to the latest wage hike.
He also criticized Energy Minister Jebran Bassil for accusing the government of obstructing the implementation of his $1.2 billion electricity project and lashed out at Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud for saying that the government’s tourism decisions are only “ink on paper.”
The three ministers are part of Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc.
“I am not ready to accept any underestimation of the council of ministers as an institution,” Miqati said. “We should either meet and take decisions and respect them or else what’s the use.”
Asked how he believed the crisis could be solved, Miqati said: “When I find a serious pledge that the cabinet will resume productive work and its decisions would be respected, then things could go back to normal.”
Sources close to the premier told As Safir newspaper that the ball is in the court of the Change and Reform bloc ministers. “The solution is not through sedatives but through a radical solution.”
In other remarks published in al-Liwaa daily, the sources defended Miqati’s decision to suspend cabinet sessions, saying “it is necessary for the PM to resort to any step that he sees essential to bring things back to normal after government sessions have become wrestling arenas.”
Snapping back at critics that described Miqati’s decision as an unprecedented move, they said in reference to Nahhas that the rejection of the implementation of the transportation allowance was unprecedented.
12 years
the member of filthy zionist information war department has made description of himself in previous comment
12 years
Why are the impotent Christian of the Mostaqbal march 14 camp quiet? Are they not interested in the rights of Christians in Government. Oh i forgot they cant upset the Sunni power as per instructions by Saudia Arabia & America. Shame! Shame! Shame!
Miqati should be hanged by his ears for disrespecting the Christians representatives in Government and ignoring their rights. The Sunni's of Lebanon, let alone the Middle East have no respect for non-sunnis. It is against their religion to apply democracy.
12 years
The Arab Spring is the return of the Ottoman Empire except this time it will be called the Sunni Islamic & Salafi Empire. This will pave the road for World War III.
12 years
ok
and what now?
12 years
We needed a technocratic government from the beginning. Lebanon is (as has been for decades) being raped by politicians.
12 years
Farid, how dare you generalize that all Sunnis have no respect for non-Sunnis. Who are you to judge?! I am a Sunni and I am for democracy, coexistence, and human rights.
12 years
Defending christian rights is exactly what the FPM does . We all remember when they defended the traditionally Christian position of head of airport security and supported the obviously Christians Abbas Ibrahim (named after St Abbas of Qom) as promised . We all in M8 believe them because we are so smart .
12 years
I wonder if the FPM will fight the rights of Christians to get public jobs. For example the security core of the parliament who's members are over 90% from the filthy beeat al hadinat lil Zionist/CIA spies as appointed by assteez Nabeeh Berri.
12 years
Suspending Governement sessions is wrong. Suspending the parlaiment for years by Mr. Berri was wrong. Occupying downtown Beirut (tent city) was wrong. Not allowing M14 to govern was wrong. Political assassinations were wrong. Not allowing presidential elections for over a year was wrong (Atar had to cook a deal). Having two camps of christians (one puppet for sunnis and one is a puppet for Hezb) is wrong. So many things are wrong because all of them are crooks dividing and conquering. They get riccher and the country gets poorer. They win and the people lose. Allah yor2ham Nassib Lahoud.
When will this country stop putting generals at the head of the state and businessmen at the head of the government???? All they do is inflict more paralysis and debt, while they keep filling their pockets and their followers.
Would we have the courage to have a person like Demianos Kattar as President? If so, believe me that he and the team that he will appoint will first of all instutite a real state and will elevate this beutiful country up to the levels that will make our young and future generations be proud to be Lebanese!
Feels like I was dreaming & I just woke up to face the sad reality!!!