Harb Accuses March 8 of Paralyzing Polls to Keep 'Hegemony'

March 14 MP Butros Harb accused on Saturday the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance of paralyzing the 2013 parliamentary elections to keep the government of Prime Minister Najib Miqati in power.

During a press conference he held at his residence in Hazmieh, Harb accused the parliamentary majority of corruption and protecting drug dealers and assassins.

“It has become clear that March 8 is seeking to overthrow the elections,” he said. “Not holding the polls would allow March 8 to have hegemony.”

“This plot is unacceptable and we will confront it and topple it,” Harb stressed.

The lawmaker held onto holding the elections on time, saying “we won't accept any postponement even for one day.”

March 14 wants a new electoral law, the MP told reporters, rejecting statements made by some majority officials that either agreement is reached on a draft-law or the polls would not be held.

He said a dispute between the two sides on the draft-law is linked to the fact that the March 8 leaders want to topple the constitution and remain in control of the country's fate.

Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun accused on Tuesday the opposition of obstructing parliamentary work and said: “I assure the people that no unrest will take place if the parliamentary elections are not staged due to the March 14 camp's obstruction.”

“It is seeking to obstruct parliament in order to halt discussions on a new electoral law,” he added.

In remarks to An Nahar newspaper on Saturday Harb said that March 14 MPs, who are members of a parliamentary electoral subcommittee, will make a “positive announcement” next week.

He said that members of the parliament’s bureau, and the heads and rapporteurs of parliamentary committees will make an official stance early next week on the resumption of the meetings of the subcommittee tasked with discussing the electoral system and the number and size of districts.

According to An Nahar, Harb has contacted Speaker Nabih Berri to inform him that the March 14 alliance “will not respond negatively to a proposal he made” for opposition MPs, who are members of the subcommittee, to stay at a hotel near the parliament and attend the meetings in the legislature after they said they were fearing for their lives over death threats.

“March 14 wants to amend and change the electoral law of 1960 and wants elections to be held on time no matter what the circumstances were,” the lawmaker said.

Lebanon plunged in a political crisis following the Oct. 19 assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Wissam al-Hasan when March 14 boycotted the government and all parliamentary activity linked to it.

It also called for the cabinet's resignation and said only a salvation government could oversee the 2013 parliamentary polls.

However, the coalition made concessions by announcing earlier this month, that it made an exception by ending its boycott of the parliamentary subcommittee, which is yet to convene over the failure of the two sides to agree on the venue.