Qazzi Did not See Expulsion Coming, Says He Represents Christians at Cabinet

Resigned Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi expressed surprise on Tuesday at the Kataeb party's decision that expelled him despite his commitment to the party's decision to resign from the cabinet.

“I asserted to (Maronite Patriarch Beshara) al-Rahi that I have committed to the Kataeb decision to resign from the cabinet and I was surprised to know that the party decided to expel me despite of that,” said the Kataeb Minister after he met Rahi in Bkirki.

“I asserted to al-Rahi that I respect the Kataeb and that my presence in the government is a representation of the Christian's role, mainly the Maronite role,” he remarked.

Qazzi was expelled Monday from the Party after he rejected to abide by the party's decision on resigning from Prime Minister Tammam Salam's government.

Kataeb decided to resign from the government citing the acknowledgments made by Prime Minister Tammam Salam that the “government is ruled by corruption,” and that it is incapable of addressing pressing issues similar to the “Syrian refugee crisis, the dire economic situation, the security deterioration and the threats against the banking sector.”

Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel had first announced the resignation of Kataeb's ministers last Tuesday. Shortly after the announcement, Information Minister Ramzi Jreij declared that he will not resign from the government, noting that he is not a member of the Kataeb Party although he was nominated by it.