March 14 Accuses Berri of Seeking to Widen Dispute with March 8

The March 14 forces are accusing Speaker Nabih Berri of seeking to revive the confrontation between them and the March 8 coalition by insisting on holding a parliamentary session on Wednesday.

An Nahar daily on Tuesday quoted March 14 parliamentary sources as saying that Berri’s “unconstitutional” move would pave way for a bigger conflict than the existing dispute between the two sides.

Berri is adamant to hold the session after the March 8 forces failed in imposing their conditions on President Michel Suleiman, Premier-designate Najib Miqati and National Struggle Front bloc leader Walid Jumblat in the efforts to form the cabinet, they said.

The unexplained verbal attacks launched by March 8 MPs and politicians on al-Mustaqbal bloc and its leader are also a clear indication that the alliance is seeking to widen the confrontation between the two sides, they added.

The parliamentary sources hinted that March 14 would make every legal, constitutional and political attempt possible to prevent Berri from “seizing the powers of the executive branch” by holding the session in the absence of a government.

Deputy Speaker Farid Makari told LBC TV station that he was excited for Wednesday’s session but when Berri put 49 items on its agenda, he considered this as contrary to what has been agreed to.

“The session is no longer an absolute necessity,” he said.

Berri had earlier promised that the session would discuss the renewal of Central Bank governor Riyad Salameh’s mandate and solve the issue of difficult prison conditions. But he later surprised the March 14 forces by announcing that parliament would discuss 49 items.

“The session won’t be held because of lack of quorum,” Makari told LBC.