Gemayel: Those Trying to Block Cabinet Sessions are Committing Crime against All Lebanese

Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel said Monday that parties trying to prevent the cabinet from convening are “committing a crime against all Lebanese” amid the country's growing political and social crises.

“The postponement of sessions is shameful and the premier must 'strike with an iron fist,'” said Gemayel at a press conference.

“Those who believe that they can block cabinet sessions are committing a crime against all Lebanese and the day of accountability will come. The cabinet should not be paralyzed and it should rather convene daily until a solution is found to the garbage crisis,” Gemayel added.

He stressed that the waste management problem must be addressed “without political bickering” and “in a purely scientific manner.”

“We urge the interior minister to release the funds of municipalities to allow them to take measures that can alleviate the burden of this disaster, because we won't find any quick solutions if we decide to wait for the government,” added Gemayel.

“We have informed the environment minister and the premier of our proposal -- the garbage must be sent abroad until we approve the tenders and we need a quick and temporary solution to remove garbage from the streets,” he said.

Officials resumed on Monday discussing the country's waste crisis as Prime Minister Tammam Salam said that the export of garbage is among the proposals under discussion.

The unprecedented crisis erupted when the Naameh landfill, which since 1997 had been receiving the trash of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, was closed on July 17. Following its closure, waste began to pile up on the streets.

Turning to the dispute over the cabinet's decision-making mechanism, Gemayel warned that “in the absence of a president, no new government can be appointed.”

“If Salam resigns the cabinet will become dysfunctional,” he cautioned.

“We do not consider ourselves to be in a government, or else we would've resigned long time ago ... This is a crisis management council, not a government, and unfortunately the alternative is total vacuum,” Gemayel added.

As for the stalled appointments of senior security and military officials, the Kataeb chief called for abiding by the Constitution and “refraining from discussing the appointments before the due date.”

He noted, however, that “no terms should be extended before attempting to appoint new military chiefs.”

“We hope the issue of appointments will not have any negative impact on the Army Command and we must respect the law and the Constitution in this file. The appointments must be raised in cabinet in line with the Constitution and some appointments require a cabinet decision while some other appointments do not require a cabinet session,” said Gemayel.

He urged all politicians to support the army and “stop discrediting the Army Command.”

“We are counting on the army to defend the border and the army has proved that it is competent,” Gemayel added.

The posts of high-ranking military and security officials are a source of contention among cabinet members, mainly the Free Patriotic Movement and PM Salam.

The FPM's ministers have stressed that the issue should be a top priority at cabinet sessions because they consider the extension of the officials' terms illegal.

Last month, FPM demonstrators marched towards the Grand Serail during a cabinet session to put pressure on Salam to amend the government's decision-making mechanism which they consider as hindering the rights of Christians.

The FPM is stressing that its ministers should have a say on the cabinet's agenda because they consider themselves the representatives of the Christian president in his absence.

Baabda Palace has been vacant since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May last year.

Y.R.

M.T.