Miqati Gears up for ‘Calm Response’ Following Trade of Accusations between MPs

Premier Najib Miqati kept mum to the severe criticism launched against him by March 14 opposition MPs during a parliamentary session but has vowed to make a calm response that sets the policies of his cabinet and future expectations.

Lawmakers attended the session on Thursday on its third and last day before Miqati issues his response to what his sources said were “parliamentary deliberations that led to a dispute between the majority and opposition to settle scores.”

The ministers will prepare technical responses to the criticism made by March 14 lawmakers against their ministries while the prime minister will “make a calm speech … that would set the policies of his government and his expectations in the next stage mainly the preservation of stability,” the sources told An Nahar daily.

“The opposition hasn’t proposed anything new. It launched a criticism that has nothing to do with the performance of the cabinet,” they said.

When asked by reporters about the scathing attacks against him, Miqati told reporters at the end of Wednesday’s session that “the criticism should be constructive so that we could take it into consideration.”

Speaker Nabih Berri announced at the end of the session that 21 more lawmakers are set to address the assembly on Thursday after around 15 MPs withdrew their requests to make statements.