Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh launched a fierce attack on Monday against his allies President Michel Aoun and FPM leader Gebran Bassi
He launched the attack during a press conference he held to comment on the controversy over the file of fuel scandal
The head of the Energy Ministry’s oil facilities department “Sarkis Hleis will appear before the judiciary, but not before the justice of (FPM chief) Gebran Bassil and the judges of Jebran Bassil,” Franjieh said.
He defended Hleis and said he believes in his ‘ “innocence,” and that his movement’s conscience is “very clear.”
“The judiciary will decide whether Sarkis Hleis is guilty or not and we consider the counterfeit fuel file a politicized file, because the side and judges who raised it are known,” Franjieh added.
“In the fuel file, six ministers belong to the FPM. Don’t these ministers bear any responsibility for this file?” Franjieh asked.
Turning to the issue of offshore oil and gas exploration, t he declared that Lebanon “is not an oil country.”
“And there is no trace of gas in it. They are lying to you and I bear the responsibility for my words,” he added.
Addressing president Aoun who is the FPM founder , Franjieh went on to say: “You lied to people in 1989 and you destroyed Lebanon and the Christian regions. You lied to people in 2005 and now you are lying to people. Your strength was based on popular support and today your strength stems from being in power. But when power goes, you will become nothing and if the judiciary won’t put you on trial history will.”
“If you want war we are ready and if you want peace we are ready. But you are weak and cowardly and history will not be merciful towards you,” he added.
A Lebanese judge last month arrested 16 employees and officials in oil facilities of Lebanon and the director of Sonatrach in Lebanon over fraud in oil import operations, the National News Agency reported.
The employees, arrested by Mount Lebanon’s Public Appeal Prosecutor Ghada Aoun, are accused of receiving bribes for taking part in the fraud.
Lebanon received on March 16 a fuel shipment from Sonatrach, a state-owned oil company of Algeria, which was to be used in electricity production in Jiyeh and Zouk power plants.
Test results showed that the shipment does not meet the required quality criteria. Enditem
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