Nahhas Slams Allies as 'Octopus Seeking to Defend Personal Interests'
Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas on Thursday said that the cabinet’s rejection on Wednesday of his wage increase plan was “purely political,” describing the Change and Reform bloc’s partners in the government as “an octopus seeking … to defend its personal interests.”
“Yesterday’s decision to reject our plan was purely political because it sided with the approach of counting on outside forces and appeasing certain parties and ambassadors,” Nahhas told OTV.
“It is very lamentable that AMAL and Hizbullah voted against this decree,” he added.
The cabinet on Wednesday voted against Nahhas’ plan and endorsed an alternative decree, under which the minimum wage would be raised from LL500,000 to LL600,000 and employees would be granted a monthly wage increase that does not exceed LL275,000.
“All parties that have been partners for 20 years have stood by each other and we are considering serious opposition,” Nahhas told MTV, slamming his partners in the government.
Asked by LBC television about the decision of Industry Minister Minister Vrej Sabounjian, who was named by the Change and Reform bloc and who voted against his plan, Nahhas said his ally was only concerned about his own financial interests.
It was noteworthy on Thursday that OTV, the mouthpiece of MP Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement, started its evening news bulletin by speaking of “a new five-party coalition” that has allegedly been formed to stand in the face of the FPM’s policies. According to OTV, the hostile coalition comprises “the ally and the ally’s ally” -- in reference to Hizbullah and AMAL Movement -- and the “trio” – President Michel Suleiman, Premier Najib Miqati and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat.
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