Jumblat to Remain in Cabinet ‘Until Further Notice,’ Warns of its Collapse
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stressed on Friday that he is still part of the cabinet “until further notice,” confirming his centrist stance.
He slammed some of the March 14-led opposition members for continuously calling on the cabinet to resign.
“I don’t mind if they return to power,” he told al-Joumhouria newspaper, warning that forcing the collapse of the government amid the current situation in the country would lead to a further deterioration in the political and security situation.
“Would they accept to handle this burden? Unless they have a magic solution to resolve the crisis in the country” Jumblat wondered.
Concerning the electricity crisis, the Druze leader said that he “didn’t find an explanation why the state isn’t benefiting from the Kuwaiti loans to resolve the prolonged crisis.”
“It is time for us to assume our responsibilities; there are soft loans from Kuwait, other Arab countries and private companies that are ready to sponsor the building of new power plants,” Jumblat pointed out.
He reminded the cabinet, in particular Hizbullah, that the electricity issue is technical and not political.
“The mismanagement by an absurd party is forcing citizens to remain enslaved by darkness, having no other way but burning tires to protest this policy,” he stated.
Frequent power cuts have been witnessed in Lebanon over the past week, with citizens venting their frustrations through blocking roads in various regions across the country.
On the unrest in the Nahr al-Bared and Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camps, Jumblat noted that these incidents should become an incentive to implement the decisions taken by Lebanese foes regarding the Palestinian arms outside the refugee camps.
“The main Palestinian factions such as Fatah and Hamas have no interest in escalating tension,” he said, voicing his support to the army.
At least three Palestinians were killed and several people, including three Lebanese soldiers, were wounded in clashes that erupted between the Lebanese army and residents of Nahr al-Bared and Ain el-Hilweh.
Asked about the turmoil in Syria, Jumblat told the daily that the international inaction and hesitation increased the chaos in the neighboring country and encouraged the regime to become more destructive.
He pointed out that there is “no solution amid the presence of (Syrian President) Bashar Assad’s regime. It should leave for its best interest and the interest of everyone else.”
“Probably the Syrian president should be moved to a more convenient place like Moscow, the Urals or perhaps Tehran… to resolve some of the intellectual desertification hitting some leaders,” Jumblat added.
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