Hariri, al-Sayyed in Parliament Verbal Clash

Parliament's legislative session witnessed Tuesday a verbal clash between Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and MP Jamil al-Sayyed who is close to Hizbullah and Damascus.

The confrontation erupted when Hariri was talking about loans related to the CEDRE Lebanon support conference.

“The displaced (Syrians) will benefit from any water or electricity project in Lebanon. Let us bring the country to a halt if anytime we execute a project you will say that the displaced would benefit from it,” Hariri said.

“Is this blackmail?” al-Sayyed replied.

Hariri snapped back: “This is not blackmail but rather the truth.”

Speaker Nabih Berri intervened at this point, telling al-Sayyed that he had not given him a permission to speak.

“I'm here for the legislation of the bills that were requested at CEDRE. If you do not want to legislate these bills, I will walk out,” Hariri added.

Al-Sayyed hit back by saying that “there is a disease that must be acknowledged, not concealed as Hariri is trying to do.”

“Each sick person should talk about their own disease,” Hariri answered.

The PM-designate's remarks followed parliament's approval of a loan treaty offered by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to execute a project for enhancing the health system in Lebanon. The MPs of the Kataeb Party voiced reservations over the bill.

The project is among those recommended by the CEDRE conference.

In his speech, Hariri also condemned “rumors” about Lebanon's possible bankruptcy.

“Lebanon is not bankrupted and we have a golden chance through the CEDRE conference. Yes, there are mistakes and our economy needs reform, but we are not in a desperate situation,” the PM-designate added.

“There is a campaign to harm the lira and frustrate the Lebanese,” he warned.