Differences between Charbel and Fattoush Grow

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and State Minister Nicolas Fattoush argued on Tuesday over donations to pay the fines of inmates whose sentenced have ended.

During a cabinet session held at the Grand Serail, Fattoush criticized Charbel for launching the campaign of the donations last month without the government’s approval.

But the interior minister snapped back, saying he had gathered the funds to remove the burden off the state treasury given that each inmate costs LL10,000 daily on his food, drink, medication and service.

“You are the last person to talk about this issue because you have previously complained that the state closed your stone quarries,” An Nahar daily quoted him as saying.

“You received from its treasury a huge compensation that is not legal,” Charbel told Fattoush.

The minister and his brothers had received millions of dollars in compensation for suspending the activity at their stone quarries.

According to An Nahar, the tension between the two ministers rose when Charbel announced the donations at a press conference at Roumieh prison, during which he was surrounded by two Catholic candidates from the Bekaa, Talal Maqdessi and Michel Daher, who are Fattoush’s rivals.