Berri Rejects Meddling in Electricity Proposal Drafting, Says it Would be Adopted by Consensus

Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed on Wednesday that the cabinet would approve the electricity project by consensus and would not resort to voting during its session scheduled to be held at Baabda palace.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria daily, Berri said: “The electricity draft law will be approved through consensus by the cabinet. There won’t be any voting because voting would lead to differences inside parliament.”

“Neither the country nor anyone else has an interest in that,” he said.

Berri confirmed that he rejected to go into the details of the proposal made to resolve the electricity crisis. He informed the officials who contacted him about the suggestions that he had already made a proposal and was waiting for them to agree on it and refer it to him so that he would call for a parliamentary session to endorse the project.

An Nahar daily said that Premier Najib Miqati and Berri held several phone conversations on Tuesday. It said the speaker has asked all sides to agree on the electricity project and send it to him for a speedy approval.

As Safir newspaper also reported that Miqati informed Berri during one of the phone conversations that he would send him a draft proposal that the speaker had previously suggested. But Berri refused to receive the draft telling the prime minister that he doesn’t want to interfere in the details of the drafting.

“I am ready to go ahead with what you agree on,” Berri reportedly told Miqati.

The speaker held talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace at noon Wednesday and left without making any statement.