Hariri Visits Bekaa: Keeping Country without President Not a Constitutional Right

Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri reiterated Friday that the boycott of presidential electoral sessions is not a "constitutional right" for the blocs that are not showing up at parliament.

“All Lebanese consider the absence of a president in Baabda a huge political failure and a major responsibility falls on all MPs,” said Hariri in the Bekaa city of Zahle.

“We must all attend the 37th session to elect a president,” he added, at a lunch banquet held in his honor by Popular Bloc chief Myriam Skaff, the widow of late minister Elie Skaff.

“Let them stop giving us the excuse that boycotting parliament is a constitutional right. Keeping the country without a president for 18, 19 or 20 months is not a right and I don't think there is anyone in the world that considers this a right,” Hariri went on to say.

The lunch banquet was attended by the MPs Robert Ghanem, Assem Araji, Tony Abou Khater and Ziad al-Qaderi, former first lady Mona Herawi, Mufti of Bekaa Sheikh Khalil al-Mays, a number of bishops and clergymen, and prominent Zahle figures.

Earlier in the day, Hariri visited the central Bekaa town of Saadnayel and performed the Friday prayer at the Imam Ali bin Abi Taleb Mosque.

The ex-PM was welcomed by a crowd of citizens and worshipers who threw rice and flowers at his convoy.

“I will have other visits to the region because you are good, loyal and brave people … I have returned to stay,” Hariri added, referring to his return to Lebanon after a year abroad.

Y.R.

M.T.