Berri: We Oppose Monopoly of Power, Govt.’s Resignation Expands Parliament’s Authority
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Wednesday his ongoing respect for the Taef Accord and parliament’s internal system, stating that his call for a parliament session was constitutional.
He said during a press conference at parliament: “We oppose the monopoly of power and as parliament speaker, I cannot stand idly by as the constitution is being neglected.”
“My call for a session was aimed at protecting Lebanon’s system, especially its monetary system,” he declared.
He slammed accusations that the session was unconstitutional in light of the governmental vacuum, adding: “No one has facilitated the government formation process more than me, just ask Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati.”
Furthermore, Berri said that a number of March 14 figures and blocs had been questioning his failure so far to hold a legislative session.
“Now that I have held a session, where have all these calls disappeared to?” he asked.
The speaker explained that today’s legislative session was aimed at approving draft laws and “preventing the establishment of a masked dictatorship.”
Addressing the accusations that he violated the constitution, he said: “As soon as government resigns, parliament becomes in a constant state of session.”
“Saying that the session is unconstitutional in light of a caretaker government places parliament in the hands of the prime minister-designate and the political forces that appointed him,” he added.
“That means if the March 14 camp wanted us to adopt their approach, Miqati and his camp could take control of the situation in the country and the president can’t do a thing about it,” Berri continued.
“The government’s resignation should expand parliament’s privileges,” he stressed.
“I don’t understand how the number of articles and the constitutionality of the session are connected. It is either constitutional or not,” he said.
“This parliament will remain for the whole of Lebanon,” the speaker concluded.
Earlier on Wednesday, Berri stressed that he would keep calling for parliamentary sessions to discuss 49 items, among which is the renewal of Central Bank governor Riyad Salameh’s mandate.
Berri told his visitors that he would continue to invite to parliamentary sessions until the new government is formed.
“I don’t accept any compromise and I reject to practice a dictatorship,” his visitors quoted him as saying. “This has been my way in parliament since 1992.”
Berri expressed surprise at the announcement of some parties that they would attend Wednesday’s parliamentary session if it had only the renewal of Salameh’s term on its agenda.
The renewal is item number 36 on the agenda.
He reminded his visitors that after the assassination of Premier Rashid Karami, his cabinet was given caretaking tasks and parliament approved 15 laws.
08 June 2011, 16:03
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"Article 69 (3) When the Council resigns or is considered resigned, the Chamber of Deputies is automatically considered in extraordinary session until a new Council has been formed and has gained the Chamber's confidence."
"Article 74 Should the Presidency become vacant through the death or resignation of the President or for any other cause, the Chamber meets immediately and by virtue of the law to elect a successor."
Outside of the usual and extraordinary sessions of parliament, these are the times when the Parliament is constitutionally authorized to convene and to act. Under Article 69 its purpose is to exercise a vote of confidence in the new government formed and to vote on its policy statement.
Under Article 74, its purpose is to elect a President and to remain in session until the mission is accomplished.
There is nothing in the constitution that authorizes that which Berri, an alleged lawyer is advocating. In fact, Art. 31 rendes such sessions null and void.
08 June 2011, 19:36
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let's go inside the "psycho" of nabih to find why he is doing this extremely dangerous game,now that mazhabieh sunni/shia is peaking?
nabih was the boss of shia in lebanon,that's when he made most of his enormous richness.that was in the eighties,then came the rift hizballah/amal at the end of the eighties and he was releagued to a distant,small second place,almost the class a moukhabarat "jamil el sayed".
he regained some prestige in the nineties,to fall again after 2006 to a "chieftain" in the shia community. now the esteez is so small in the march eight that even the general is more intime with hassan,and with his bosses battling the end he is trying to balloon himself b4 the elections of 2013,he is playing like all our beloved politicians the mazhab/religion card...
