Speaking at the beginning of today’s Cabinet session at the Grand Serail, Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, congratulated the Lebanese on the occasion of Resistance and Liberation Day, saying: “This victory would not have been possible without the unity of all the Lebanese, and it is our duty today to work to preserve and strengthen this unity.” Mikati added: “The convening of our session today coincides with a campaign launched against the government by a political team in the country that adopts boycotting the sessions without providing a logical explanation for its position. More than six months have passed since the vacancy in the presidency of the republic, and the presidential elections are still unknown, in light of the conditions and counter conditions for the political parties represented in the House of Parliament. In view of this situation, is the government required to stop the cycle of work in institutions and disrupt people’s interests completely? Is the government responsible for the presidential vacancy, or are the deputies responsible? And who said that the ministers participating in government sessions do not represent all Lebanese segments? Is it acceptable for the political dispute to reach the point of insulting people’s dignity and their balanced presence in all forums?’ Mikati went on to say: ‘Convening the Council of Ministers and conducting government work to keep the institutions’ cycle in place is neither a provocation nor a blow to the charter, partnership and the constitution, as some claim. Rather, striking the constitution and partnership is represented in adopting a deliberate and multi-form obstruction approach that has been going on for years and wasting time for personal goals.’ The PM added: “The real strike of the partnership is represented in refraining from carrying out the national and constitutional duty to elect a new president for the republic, especially by the team that weeps over the vacancy of the presidency’s post and participates in obstructing the election process; and this same team is the one that incites spiritual and political references against the government. The irony is that the team that calls for the Council of Ministers not to convene is the same one that demands the inclusion of items on the sessions’ agenda.’ Premier Mikati also said: “I am in the process of calling for a session of the Council of Ministers devoted to the file of the displaced Syrians, in which all points will be raised in preparation for the speech I will deliver at the European Union conference in Brussels on the 15th of next month. I task Caretaker Minister Issam Charafeddine to prepare for the ministerial session and the meeting of the ministerial committee on the file of the displaced, which will be held ahead of the special government session.” On the Banque du Liban’s governorship dossier, Mikati said: ‘We discussed this issue at length in the consultative meeting that we held on Monday, and we agreed that this issue is in the hands of the judiciary and in accordance with the provisions of the Lebanese law. I stressed that it is not permissible to appear as if one party wants revenge and another wants to secure protection. The easiest thing to say today is to dismiss the governor, but out of respect for the institutions and the opinions of the attending ministers, and after the Deputy Prime Minister submitted a written memorandum on this file, I will raise the issue for discussion now again to take the appropriate decision.’
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon