Berri hits out at Aoun and FPM over demarcation, presidency, electricity
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday lashed out at President Michel Aoun and the Free Patriotic Movement over several issues, in a speech marking the 44th anniversary of the disappearance of Amal Movement founder Imam Moussa Sadr.
“We remind those trying to take Lebanon back to the pre-Taef era that parliament is the only side entrusted with interpreting the constitution,” Berri said, referring to the controversy over whether or not the caretaker cabinet can assume the president’s powers in the event of a presidential vacuum.
“It is unacceptable to manipulate the constitution or rebel against it to meet the ambitions of this or that candidate, and it is illegitimate to surrender to some malicious wills that are seeking to plunge the country into the cycle of vacuum,” the Speaker added.
Moreover, he said that his parliamentary bloc “will vote for a figure who would gather and unite rather than divide,” adding that the next president should “believe in nationalist and patriotic principles and should deeply believe that Israel represents a threat to Lebanon’s existence.”
“Let no one claim to be more sovereign than us,” Berri added.
And noting that he is willing to cooperate for the sake of the formation of a new government, Berri rejected the calls for adding six state ministers to the 24-minister cabinet.
“We saw Tammam Salam’s 24-minister cabinet and how every minister in it was a president,” he said.
As for the sea border demarcation file, Berri hit back at Aoun’s latest remarks, describing them as an attempt at “showing off.”
Aoun had said Monday that some parties do not want the sea border demarcation file to be finalized during his presidential term, telling reporters that Berri and PM-designate Najib Mikati can be "asked about this matter, seeing as they possess the necessary information about everything that is happening in this file.”
“As we wait for U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein’s answer, we stress that our border and sovereignty are like our honor: we do not negotiate over them and we will defend them with all the capabilities that we have,” Berri said.
“The ball now is in the U.S. court and we’re not advocates of war, but if our sovereignty gets threatened, we will defend these rights and border,” the Speaker added.
Accusing the U.S. mediator of wasting time, Berri said: “Hochstein said that he will be absent for two weeks, but one month has passed and we have not received an answer. If there are Israeli considerations, what prevents TotalEnergies and others to drill in our undisputed areas.”
Berri also warned against procrastination and the usurpation of Lebanon’s rights.
Hitting out at the FPM over the electricity file, Berri said: “Is there a country in the world that has zero hours of power supply under the excuse of ‘they have not allowed us?’”
“Is it rational for Lebanon to be deprived of Jordanian and Egyptian gas due to the failure to form a regulatory commission at the Energy Ministry, which has drained a third of the state’s finances, under the excuse of ‘changing the law instead of implementing it?’” Berri added.
31 August 2022, 18:19
00
I haven't seen anyone have as many yearly commemorations as the shia sect has. One day its the birthday of one of the children of Hussain, the next its the deathday of Hussein, the third its the 15th anniversary of some shia leaders mission and on and on it goes. Mousa Sadr was very loyal to Iran, he was born there and has family ties to Iranians. The only reason he became popular was because he spoke to the then youth, the same youth who are now adults keeping his good reputation alive when in reality, had he stayed alive we most likely would have seen a different side of him. Musa Sadr was one of the early ones who radicalized the shia in lebanon. He knew what to say to sound good but look at the fruit (amal thuggery), not the empty words.
31 August 2022, 19:11
00
Sinatra, don't mind me disagreeing with your assessment. No one is perfect, especially during a civil war. However, you can't compare Moussa Saddr, which I consider one of Lebanon's giants, with the criminal Basij (HizbIran) or the phony Berri. Whereas Saddr believed in building up his community and creating bridges with others, the duo believes in tearing down others and using demography to impose their will. Saddr policies and objectives are in line with Green Revolution in Iran, which is a twin of our Cedar Revolution. The mortal danger of the duo on Lebanon is poisoning democracy, freedom and civility and imposing their backward Basij way of life by force and intimidation, incompatible with our culture nd values. If they were democratic and civilized, we wouldn't care if they govern Lebanon. For now, they are Lebanon's enemy No 1.
31 August 2022, 19:59
00
You are judging sadr based on a short period of his life. A strategic period which was about laying the grounds. Look at his relative in Iraq and his sadr forces. They are all from the same branch whether Iraq, Lebanon or Iran. Its just that their strategy differs depending on the atmosphere until they are able to take more power.
