Berri Vows Timely Elections, Warns Some Seeking to 'Change Lebanon’s Identity'

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stressed Monday emphasized that the parliamentary elections will be held on time on May 15, as he warned of foreign attempts to “change Lebanon’s identity” through the elections.

“We stress that the elections will be held on May 15 after the fall of all the amendment, postponement and procrastination attempts,” Berri said in a televised address to announce Amal Movement’s candidates for the elections.

“Some abroad are financing some domestic parties to achieve strategic political objectives aimed at changing Lebanon’s identity and principles,” the Speaker warned.

He also cautioned that some local forces want to turn the elections into “sectarian strife schemes” and “distortion and false accusation campaigns.”

Separately, Berri said that the sea border demarcation with Israel is “a sovereign juncture par excellence” which “should not be linked to any other local or constitutional junctures.”

Moreover, the Speaker said an agreement should be reached on distributing Lebanon’s financial losses on “banks, the central bank and the Lebanese state without touching depositors’ funds.”