Municipal nominations to be accepted starting Wednesday

Caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi has opened the door for the municipal elections nominations starting Wednesday April 5 in the North, April 12 in Mount Lebanon, April 19 in Beirut and Bekaa and April 26 in the South.

The municipal elections will start on May 7 in the North, on May 14 in Mount Lebanon, on May 21 in Beirut and in Bekaa, and on May 28 in the South, Mawlawi said Monday, as he urged the government to secure the necessary funds and complete the administrative preparations.

"I see no reason for cancelling the municipal polls," he said.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused the Free Patriotic Movement and the Hezbollah-led camp of obstructing the municipal polls, as some parties say the polls cannot be funded without a legislative session. But Parliament cannot legislate before a president is elected.

Geagea and Mawlawi said that elections can be funded.

"Millions of dollars had been spent from the Special Drawing Rights and the elections can also be funded," Geagea said.

Lawyer and Former Interior Minister Ziad Baroud said that according to the law, without the elections, all municipalities become dissolved and all Mukhtars stop working. Governors and district governors become responsible of all the municipalities and Mukhtars' work.

"It is impossible for a governor to manage more than 200 municipalities at the same time," Baroud explained.