March 14 to Press STL Funding through Parliamentary Draft Law

The March 14-led opposition is seeking to propose a draft law on funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon probing the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri to find a solution to the $32 million Lebanon is obligated to pay for the international court, An Nahar newspaper reported on Thursday.

“They (March 14 camp) are discussing the possibility of presenting a draft law to the parliament to fund the STL, like (Free Patriotic Movement leader) MP Michel Aoun did in the issue of the electricity project,” the daily said.

Lebanon is obligated to pay a 49 percent share of the STL’s funds.

The March 14 lawmakers are trying to halt any political exploitation in a “critical” matter linked to Lebanon’s commitment to the international resolution.

The newspaper noted “this proposal will not pass without a political consensus between Prime Minister (Najib Miqati) and Hizbullah” because funding the tribunal through the parliament will force Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat’s bloc and the centrists to vote in support of the opposition’s proposal, An Nahar added.

The STL had released arrest warrants against four Hizbullah members, accusing them of being involved in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s murder.

The party has repeatedly announced that it will not cooperate with the tribunal, describing it as an American-Israeli product aimed at destroying it.

A dispute recently rose in Lebanon on whether the March 8-dominant government would commit to funding the tribunal.

However, Miqati has announced that it is in Lebanon’s interest to pay its share of the tribunal funds.