The Free Patriotic Movement’s political council issued a statement today following its periodic electronic meeting headed by its Chief, MP Gebran Bassil, in which it expressed “great concern that the delay in forming an effective rescue government would lead to reaching the point of no return in the path of financial collapse, resulting in livelihood risks and social unrest.”
The council renewed the call on Prime Minister-designate, Saad Hariri, to “perform his constitutional and national duties, by presenting a government line-up that takes into account constitutional principles and charter rules, and to agree on it with the President of the Republic, so it would take its way to confidence in Parliament and adhere to a reform ministerial statement that the Lebanese are awaiting on the basis of the French initiative and the requirements of the International Monetary Fund.”
Re-affirming FPM’s commitment to a government of specialists headed by Hariri, the council declared that it remains open to “any government that the Lebanese agree on,” but it definitely rejects “any coup against the constitution by bypassing the equality component and establishing new norms.”
The FPM political council considered that “in the event of failing to form a government, and in light of the accelerating decay in the structure of institutions, and the caretaker government’s failure to carry out its duties in conducting business as required by this stage, the option of shortening the mandate of the Parliament Council will become a mandatory act, even if that will cause more time-wasting while Lebanon is in dire need of expediting the adoption of reform laws.”
In this connection, the FPM council called on the parliamentary blocs to discuss the proposed law submitted by the ‘Strong Lebanon Bloc’ to rationalize subsidies and provide a financing card for needy families to benefit from.
It also reiterated its conviction that “the President of the Republic should call for a dialogue meeting in which parliamentary blocs would participate to discuss options and priorities for reform, complete the formation of the executive authority, and address the fateful challenges facing the Lebanese, as they affect their existence and the position of their country in light of external variables that will soon impose a new fait accompli.”
“It is in the interest of the Lebanese to have a unified vision in reading the changes, and a unified position that answers the questions posed by every Lebanese about the best political and economic system in the new phase of our history,” the council statement underlined.
Over the Central Bank’s decision to give depositors part of their money in various banks, the FPM political council deemed this step as being in line with the spirit of the recent State Shoura Council’s decision, denouncing herein the reaction of the Association of Banks in refusing to give depositors some of their rights that are protected by the constitution and the laws, noting that the banks have accumulated profits in billions and have liquidity in their accounts outside Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the council urged the Banque du Liban to “assume its responsibilities in controlling the monetary mass to curb manipulation of the exchange rate of the Lebanese lira,” and the Ministry of Finance to “carry out its duties in terms of securing the necessary funds to finance the opening of the needed credits for the purchase of electricity fuel, gasoline, diesel, medicines and flour, since the absence of these materials will lead to a real and justified social revolution, at which point the Free Patriotic Movement will call on its supporters to join.”
Source: National News Agency