Aoun Accuses Officials of Inciting Security Unrest: We Will No Longer Respond to Jumblat’s Insults
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stressed on Tuesday the need for the security forces to intervene to contain the recent unrest in Lebanon.
He accused after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting “officials of being complicit in the unrest.”
“They are inciting the people to burn tires as the security forces stand idly by,” he added.
“The security authorities must intervene without being asked to perform their duties. The decision to preserve the peace does not require a ministerial decree,” declared Aoun.
Addressing Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat’s recent criticism against him and Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, the MP responded: “I will no longer reply to his insults.”
Jumblat had held Bassil and the FPM directly responsible for the electricity crisis in Lebanon.
He told As Safir newspaper in remarks published on June 21: “The FPM does not want to benefit from Arab funds and it does not want to grant the private sector a role in tackling this problem.”
“Enough with excuses, let the brother-in-law of the FPM (Energy Minister Bassil) assume his responsibilities,” declared Jumblat.
Aoun also slammed National Struggle Front MP Akram Shehayeb’s recent remarks to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper on June 22 in which he also accused Bassil and the FPM chief of obstructing an energy plan to end Lebanon’s crisis.
Aoun said: “Jumblat along with the president and prime minister want to obstruct my plans in government.”
Shehayeb had told the pan-Arab daily: “How can Aoun and his brother-in law escape their responsibilities in the electricity file?”
“Haven’t they controlled the Energy Ministry since 2009 and year after year, they threaten to plunge the Lebanese deeper into darkness?” he wondered.
He noted that the national unity government under former PM Saad Hariri had approved an energy plan, but it was obstructed by Bassil, who rejected the offers of Arab funds that were seeking to help Lebanon.
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