De Freij Criticizes Cabinet Performance, Slams Kanaan’s Draft Law

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Nabil de Freij stressed on Monday that the cabinet should have acted swiftly concerning Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas’ refusal to sign the transportation allowance decree and “withdrawn confidence” from him.

“The cabinet didn’t take so far a decision regarding Nahhas’ behavior while it should have taken a firm decision against him and maybe withdrawn its confidence,” de Freij told Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).

A parliamentary session scheduled to be held on Wednesday is expected to witness a heated debate, as MPs will discuss two urgent draft laws suggested separately by Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan and de Freij in an attempt to “legalize” the transportation allowance decree, which remains a point of contention between Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.

De Freij slammed Kanaan’s proposed draft law on the matter, saying he only suggested it to annoy him.

However, he added that al-Mustaqbal’s goal remains “our attempt to resolve the social issues.”

De Freij slammed the cabinet’s performance, saying he hopes that the cabinet collapses before the parliamentary session on Wednesday.

The transportation allowance decree, which was approved by the cabinet, is at the center of a dispute between Miqati and Nahhas who refuses to sign the decision for allegedly being “illegal.”

The premier has suspended the cabinet sessions until Nahhas signs the decree, saying that he expects the ministers to boost their performance and abide by the government’s decision.

In remarks published in al-Liwaa newspaper, de Freij said that his proposal seeks to preserve economic interests.

March 14-led opposition parliamentary sources told An Nahar newspaper that Kanaan’s draft law contradicts the cabinet’s decision on the transportation allowance.

Other sources said that the proposals made by de Freij and Kanaan might be referred to the parliamentary committees to be studied.

Kanaan, who is loyal to Aoun, proposed on Saturday an urgent draft law to be added on the parliament’s agenda, stating that his suggestion on the transportation allowance provides the basis for a long-term solution.