March 14 Warns Berri against 'Dangerous Precedence' of Holding Meeting of Joint Committees
Several March 14 coalition MPs warned Speaker Nabih Berri on Friday against a call for a meeting of joint parliamentary committees to discuss an electoral draft-law, saying such a move would be a “dangerous precedent” in the absence of the opposition.
Following a meeting held by opposition heads of parliamentary committees, rapporteurs and members of parliament's bureau at MP Butros Harb's residence, a statement said that the boycott of March 14 MPs of all parliamentary activity “was forced by the government over its own failure in governing the country.”
Harb, who read the statement, stressed the boycott “is a democratic right exercised by the opposition” and that “its negative repercussions don't match the damages caused by the government.”
While the conferees held onto not postponing the 2013 parliamentary elections, they “considered any attempt by Berri to call for a meeting of joint parliamentary committees in the absence of March 14 MPs as a dangerous precedent.”
They decided to form a committee to meet with Berri and discuss with him ways to resolve the crisis, said the statement, which also urged him to keep the speakership away from the political bickering in the country.
The March 14 lawmakers also criticized Berri for inviting separate parliamentary committees to meet under their rapporteurs from the March 8 majority alliance in the absence of their boycotting chairmen.
“Holding such meetings under the leadership of the rapporteurs is illegal and unconstitutional,” they stressed.
The opposition boycotted all parliamentary activity in the aftermath of the Oct. 19 assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch chief Wissam al-Hasan after it blamed the government for the killing, and called for its resignation.
But March 8 MPs continued to attend the meetings of parliamentary committees led by rapporteurs from the majority alliance due to the March 14 boycott.
Friday's statement reiterated the March 14 call on the formation of a “new government capable of resuming dialogue among the Lebanese.”
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