Berri Hits Back at Mustaqbal Criticism, Says Parliament is its Own Master
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Speaker Nabih Berri has snapped back at al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc which accused him of encouraging “unacceptable” practices by insisting on keeping the agenda of the national assembly intact.
“Everyone should know that the parliament is the top institution and gives legitimacy to governments,” Berri said in remarks published in several newspapers on Wednesday.
“It has approved the constitution of the Taef accord without the presence of a cabinet,” he said.
The speaker's remarks came a day after al-Mustaqbal said following its weekly meeting that Berri was “insisting on the agenda of the parliamentary session that is aimed at consolidating unacceptable customs.”
It said also said in its statement in a reference to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun that there were factions that claimed to support state institutions while working to undermine the constitution.
“The parliament is its own master and will remain so with regard to the legislative session and the same agenda,” Berri said.
“All what others are doing is aimed at covering up for the (failure) to form a government,” he added.
Berri postponed on Monday for the third consecutive time a parliamentary session which has 45 draft-laws on its agenda, including the extension of Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji's mandate.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, the March 14 alliance's MPs and Aoun's Change and Reform bloc have been boycotting the session.
While Miqati and March 14, intruding al-Mustaqbal, claim that Berri does not have the right to call for a session with a wide agenda amid a resigned cabinet, Aoun says the extension of Qahwaji's term is unconstitutional.
31 July 2013, 11:45
01
Our country is a joke.. this experiment is an utter failure.. time for a new political system.. or let the army rule for a decade so we can get the house in order
31 July 2013, 20:32
00
Wrong again, Nabiah, the mast of Parliament is the Constitution, the pact between the people of Lebanon and the government. By the constitution, the people have the right to elect a new Parliament every. 4 years. The erm of this Parliament ended over 1 month ago. The fact that new elections have not been held is in violation of and a usurpation of the rights of the people to elect a new Parliament. That you, Mr. Berri have not allowed these elections is an act of usurpation of the ultimate authority in a Republic, that of the people themselves.
01 August 2013, 09:08
00
Don't worry yourselves about the Parliament. Beeri will keep putting off the session with all types of excuses until the 17 months are up, and then another 17, and another 17 and on and on.
Unfortunately as someone else has mentioned, maybe the only solution is for the army to take over for a time, bring in a government of technocrats and only when things begin running smoothly (not on faction lines, not on religious lines), then and only then does Lebanon need to have free and democratic elections for a new parliament.
