Harb Lashes out at FPM without Naming

Telecommunications Minister Boutros Harb stated on Thursday that parties claiming to be defending the rights of the Christians are the same ones hampering the election of a president and thus harming the Christians' right to have a Maronite head of state.

“Those raising the slogan of defending the Christians' rights and the National Pact are deluding the people that the lingering conflict over positions is between Muslims and Christians,” said Harb in a press conference.

“The competition is not between the Muslims and Christians but between the Christians themselves over the Christian positions in the authority and (state) administrations,” added the Minister.

“It is unfortunate how obstructing the constitution, preventing the election of a president and paralyzing the state institutions have become a political tool used by a political party to blackmail the Lebanese,” he went on to say.

Harb was referring to the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc that said on Wednesday that it has started mobilizing for street protests on September 28 and October 13 as part of its escalatory steps that are aimed at pressing the other parties in the country to “abide by the National Pact.”

“Instead of launching threats to take to the streets, let us go to the parliament and elect a president instead,” Harb remarked.

Free Patriotic Movement leader and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil has threatened that the FPM would “topple the government” through street protests if the other parties do not heed the movement's demand regarding “partnership” and the National Pact.

The FPM, which has the biggest Christian bloc in parliament, has suspended its participation in cabinet sessions and national dialogue meetings over accusations that other parties in the country are not respecting the National Pact.