Berri urges 7-day dialogue prior to open-ended presidential vote sessions

Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday called on the heads of parliamentary blocs and political parties to participate in “dialogue in parliament for seven days at most in September” before going to “open-ended sessions to elect a president.”

“The presidential vote cannot take place through imposing a candidate or paralyzing state institutions. Is it a crime to call for consensus and dialogue?” Berri added, in a speech marking the 45th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Moussa Sadr.

“We worked for finalizing the presidential election and we stress that it should be accomplished as soon as possible,” Berri went on to say.

Addressing “some parties in the country, especially snitches,” who reportedly incited against him abroad, Berri said: “You have mistaken the address and you don’t know who I am.”

Separately, Berri said that his Amal Movement will stand by “the brothers in Hezbollah to defend our holy border” in the face of any Israeli aggression.