Aoun Blames Govt. Delay on Lebanese 'Contradictions', Invites Protesters to Dialogue
President Michel Aoun on Thursday blamed the delay in forming a new government on Lebanon’s “contradictions,” as he re-invited protesters to dialogue with him.
“The time is not for speeches but rather for hard work… The challenges are dangerous and we've wasted a lot of time,” Aoun said in an address to the nation on the eve of Lebanon’s Independence Day.
“The government should have been formed by now and started its work, but the contradictions that govern Lebanese politics have necessitated carefulness in order to avoid a more dangerous situation,” the president added.
Renewing his invitation to protesters to send representatives to the presidential palace for talks, Aoun said he wants to “closely explore their actual demands and means to implement them,” stressing that “dialogue is the only correct way to resolve crises.”
As for the latest anti-corruption drive in the country, the president said “the recent popular protests have broken some taboos and relatively some protections, prompting the judiciary to act and encouraging the legislative authority to give priority to a number of anti-corruption draft laws.”
“I will be a firm bulwark that protects the judiciary and by that I mean that I will prevent any interference in it,” he pledged.
Addressing the armed forces, he added: “You must protect the freedom of citizens who want to express their opinion through demonstrations and you also have to protect the freedom of movement of citizens who want to go to their work or home.”
Protesters have repeatedly rejected calls for talks with the president, noting that their demands are well-known.
Lebanon's unprecedented protest movement, which broke out on October 17, has been calling for a complete overhaul of a political elite accused of inefficiency and corruption.
After the government stepped down on October 29, protesters demanded a fresh cabinet composed of experts not affiliated with any of the traditional political parties.
But Aoun in a recent interview argued that a government made up solely of independent technocrats would not represent the people or be able to set policies.
"Where should I look for them? On the moon?" he said, arguing true independents were scarce in a country where most people follow a specific political party.
-
21 November 2019, 20:22
Aoun addressing the armed forces: You must protect the freedom of the citizen who wants to express their opinion through demonstrations and you also have to protect the freedom of movement of the citizen who wants to go to their work or home.
-
21 November 2019, 20:19
Aoun: I will be a firm bulwark that protects the judiciary and by that I mean that I will prevent any interference in it.
-
21 November 2019, 20:18
Aoun: The recent popular protests have broken some taboos and relatively some protections, prompting the judiciary to act and encouraging the legislative authority to give priority to a number of anti-corruption draft laws.
-
21 November 2019, 20:11
Aoun: I repeat my invitation to protesters in order to closely explore their actual demands and means to implement them, because dialogue is the only correct way to resolve crises.
-
21 November 2019, 20:07
Aoun: The government should have been formed by now but the contradictions that govern Lebanese politics have necessitated carefulness in order to avoid the worse.
-
21 November 2019, 20:02
Aoun: The challenges are dangerous and we've wasted a lot of time.
-
21 November 2019, 20:00
Aoun: The time is not for speeches but rather for hard work.
21 November 2019, 20:59
01
It has been 36 days since the protests began, maybe he should hurry up a bit and stop listening to your inner circle of Basil, Canaan and Jreissati and listen to the rest on actually what people want. Even you daughters don't like FPM's positions any more--maybe you should find out why.
22 November 2019, 18:09
00
Precisely.
Look at this AFP line from the story: "Protesters have repeatedly rejected calls for talks with the president, noting that their demands are well-known." But Naharnet.com takes credit for the story. Well, if this is Naharnet.com, what, a husband-and-wife team, I'll give them my AFP joke: the protesters, Phil from Cincinnati and June from Detroit, met with journalists to discuss their demands over latte and a local Lebanese dish available in Geneva now for the first time.
21 November 2019, 21:31
01
Dudes.. I am so disappointed!.. I was looking forward to this.. as we were promised a new episode... Has my beer.. had my chips.. even had my artisanal orange flag.. made out of an old recycled pair underwear.. yup 'twas a green orange flag... Turns out this was just a rerun...
21 November 2019, 23:40
03
If as you claim there is no difference why not have a government of technocrats, what would be the harm. They might be able to stabilize the situation, or, worse come to worst, there will be the same scuffles and problems if a new government is formed. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. That's a smart intellectuals answer to your insane question.
21 November 2019, 23:46
02
It is his constitutional duty to call for the binding consultations of the deputies. The result of these consultations is a nominated prime minister who, after presidential approval, will then form a government.
22 November 2019, 05:23
05
Do your job, abide by the constitution and call for immediate binding consultations instead of wanking publicly on TV.
22 November 2019, 06:55
01
so, your answer is you want no change. lol
For example, electricity and telecom under government control are failures--why should we trust the same people/parties to do something better. They will toss the blame game around for their party member, but nothing gets done, and the national debt goes up, rinse, lather repeat. IMO, better to privatize those and collect TVA for the government without paying salaries, pensions, fuel, maintenance, etc. But they wont do that, because there is no institutional control
Similar things can be done in other sectors.
22 November 2019, 13:57
01
Mystic,
In case you haven't noticed. We have a failed state. The state does not do what it it required from it, in order for the people to have their basic needs. Electricity, reliable Internet, clean streets, no traffic jam, clean air, clean beaches, treated sewers, health care, retirement...
We want new, fresh, honest, competent and dedicated people, from no party (that means who work for the people not for Geagea, or Hariri, or Nasrallah) to take in charge this country, and run it properly. The debt will not vanish suddenly. Of course not. It will take time. But this action will encourage investments, will give confidence in Lebanon again, and is the only viable sollution for this country today.
