Miqati Denies Calling on Head of Tripoli’s Municipal Council to Resign
Prime Minister Najib Miqati denied on Thursday that a meeting was held with Tripoli MPs and cabinet ministers to tackle the crisis gripping the northern city’s municipal council.
According to a statement issued by his press office Miqati said: “The report is completely inaccurate.”
An Nahar newspaper reported that the gatherers agreed during the meeting on Wednesday night to lift the political cover off Ghazal and call on him to submit his resignation in 24 hours as the elections to select a new chief for the municipality would take place on April 24 or 25.
The meeting, according to the daily, came in light of the council members’ threat to resign in protest at the performance of municipal chief Nader Ghazal.
The daily said that engineer Abdullah al-Shahhal, who is the older member of the municipality and is known for having good relations with the political powers in Tripoli, is likely to be elected in Ghazal’s post.
Media reports have earlier said that 10 members of Tripoli’s municipal council submitted their resignations, and the number will likely reach 13.
Tripoli’s municipal council includes 22 members in addition to the municipal chief Ghazal and his deputy.
The resignation of half-plus-one members of the council would force its collapse.
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel announced in March that the municipal by-elections will take place on May 6.
The local polls will replace the dissolved municipal councils since 2010.
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