Safadi Lashes out at Miqati, Challenges him to Probe Commission Accusations

Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi has blasted Premier Najib Miqati and Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas for accusing him of seeking to take commissions in the deal to lease power-generating vessels.

Safadi challenged Miqati on Thursday, telling LBC’s Kalam al-Nass talk show that the prime minister should remove him from his post if any investigation proved that he had been seeking a commission.

Miqati began spreading rumors “that I want to take commissions from the (deal) of vessels and has proof on that,” the finance minister said. “He even said it to everyone including Speaker Nabih Berri and (Progressive Socialist Party leader) Walid Jumblat.”

Safadi also slammed Nahhas, who is loyal to Miqati, for saying that the finance minister was “not keen on public money.”

“An investigation should be launched by the government and the parliament to find out why the finance minister could not be trusted with public funds,” the minister told Marcel Ghanem, the talk show host.

“If I am not worthy of heading the ministry, then let him suggest a vote of confidence at the cabinet and remove me” from the post, an enraged Safadi said.

Asked about parliament’s failure to approve a $5.9 billion extra-budgetary 2011 spending bill, he stressed that the issue should be resolved so that the government becomes capable of paying the salaries of state employees.

But he appeased growing fears about a possible wage crisis, saying “eventually there will be no problem in the payment of salaries.”

Despite his scathing attack on Miqati, the finance minister said he still supported the premier in the consolidation of civil peace.

“What brings me together with Miqati is the preservation of civil peace and the country (to prevent) any Sunni-Shiite strife,” Safadi stressed. “It is my duty to continue my support to the government.”

An Nahar asked Miqati’s aides about Safadi’s comments. His sources told the daily that they “have no comment” on such remarks.

They also refused to comment on the reports that the government would fail to pay the salaries of civil servants if the $5.9 billion bill was not adopted.