March 14 urge Mikati and cabinet to resign

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March 14 opposition MPs launched a strong attack on Prime minister Najib Mikati and his cabinet on Tuesday, the first day of the Parliament session which ends on Thursday and intended to discuss the performance of the government .

Speaker Nabih Berri gave the floor first to Mikati who acknowledged certain shortcomings while defending his government as providing Lebanon with stability. He defended his policy of dissociating Lebanon from the events in Syria.

“The government had certain priorities, the main one being stability as pertains to three factors, stability in the south … financing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon … and events in the region, particularly in Syria,” Mikati said

Makari

Deputy Parliament Speaker Farid Makari who was the first member of the opposition to address the session, launched a scathing attack on Mikati, accusing him of encouraging “terrorism.”

He said the cabinet was made up by a “forged majority” that was “born in the dark and forced us to live in the dark.”

Makari also described the government as “decomposing over its growing differences,” saying Mikati should resign before losing more credibility.

He also addressed the cabinet’s decision “to dissociate” Lebanon from Syrian developments and said “this position is [tantamount] to participating in the crime and conspiring with the criminal.”

“It is a scandal to dissociate oneself from confronting the security movements carried out by the Syrian regime and its supporters inside Lebanon.”

Makari added that Al-Jadeed cameraman Ali Shaaban “paid the price for the cabinet’s negligence… to maintain sovereignty and protect [Lebanese] citizens.”

Zahra

Lebanese Forces MP Antoine Zahra continued with the criticism that the deputy speaker had started, saying the cabinet has taken the country back to the era of “tutelage”.

“Nobody trusts you anymore,” he told the ministers who flanked the premier at the session.

“Go back to your consciences,” he said as he urged “the de facto forces” to provide his personal protection so that he could take part in the 2013 elections.

He also slammed the government for involvement in the red diesel scandal, for severe power cuts and bad mobile phone services.

Zahra added:

“This cabinet is insulting the parliament’s role, and we cannot hold it accountable because it was imposed on us ”

He also called for forming a parliamentary commission to probe into the issue of electricity and asked about the results of the investigation into the issue of spoiled food.

Ghanem

MP Robert Ghanem, called for a serious dialogue to protect the country and the Lebanese people.

“Unfortunately we have not learnt from [previous] mistakes. It is time for [Lebanon’s] cabinet to be one and not cabinets within a cabinet,” Ghanem added in reference to the internal disputes within the government.

“The parliament is the appropriate place to launch a serious dialogue to lead to a reconciliation among the Lebanese people and strengthen Lebanon [amid] regional challenges.” He added

Hamadeh

MP Marwan Hamadeh said that Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s cabinet included “scared and indifferent” people and was formed amid the presence of non-state arms.

“One party is in control. Either directly through its own ministers or indirectly through the ministers allied with it,” Hamadeh said in an implicit reference to Hezbollah.

The MP also addressed the assassination attempt against Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, saying the incident “warns of miserable days ahead.”

“For them, Syrian President [Bashar al-Assad] is always right, the Syrian people is always wrong and the United Nations is always biased.” An implicit reference to Hezbollah

Hamadeh also addressed the Lebanese citizens, saying: “Do not believe that Assad’s regime has a shred of hope of staying [in power].”

Hamaded said the government policy of distancing itself from Syria was “backing the killers.”

Fadel

MP Robert Fadel said that Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s cabinet and the majority are responsible for protecting all political figures.

“Political assassinations must become a red line,” Fadel said in reference to the attempted assassination of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea outside his Maarab residence in the district of Kesrouan.

Abi Ramia

Change and Reform bloc MP Simon Abi Ramia defended the budget as presented by the cabinet and said that his group will not “allow anyone, neither today nor tomorrow, to blackmail [us]” on the issue of government expenditures. A possible reference to the March 14 demand that calls for linking of the approval of the expenditures of the present cabinet to the approval of the expenses of the previous cabinets.

Speaker Nabih Berri then adjourned the parliamentary plenary session until 6 p.m.

Aaraji

MP Assem Aaraji was the first to address the plenary session after the lunch break. He said the performance of Mikati’s cabinet was the worst in Lebanon’s history

“Lebanon has not witnessed a performance worse than the current cabinet’s,” Aaraji said

He accused the cabinet of corruption and of striking side deals and called on it to find solutions for the country’s current crises.

Youssef

MP Ghazi Youssef said: “The cabinet was born dead… and it does not need an opposition [confronting it] because it opposes itself.”

“The cabinet has harmed itself more than the opposition did.” He said

He also slammed Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Senhnaoui for not improving the telecom sector and Energy Minister Gebran Bassil for “seeking to control the spending of more than $2 billion through suspicious tenders without referring to the cabinet.”

Helou

Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Helou blamed the problems of the country on the previous March 14 led national unity governments .

He issued a warning to the opposition, namely the March 14 coalition.

“If this parliament is unable to bring those people to account, then the [Lebanese citizens] will do [so later].”

Sahili

Hezbollah MP Nawwar Sahili praised the government and its policy regarding the events in Syria.

“[I commend] the performance of the government, which is [being attacked] for [its stance on] the Syrian crisis and which dissociated itself in order to prevent the crisis from reaching Lebanon.,”

The MP, however, added that the government was against dissociation when it comes to “dragging Syria into civil war.”

Sahili also admitted that the government wasn’t perfect.

Maalouf

Lebanese Forces bloc MP Joseph Maalouf criticized the government’s response to the Syrian violations along the border with Lebanon.

“The violations of the Lebanese territory by the Syrian regime are repeatedly taking place, and what was the response of the government? [It] dissociates itself even from the killing of its [own] citizens on their land and in their homes,” Maalouf said

Maalouf also condemned the assassination attempt against the Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and warned against “underestimating” the importance of the event.

“Underestimating an incident like this one might encourage a return to [political] assassinations.”

The LF MP concluded by calling on the government “to resign.”

Lebanon’s political scene is split between supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, led by Hezbollah and its March 8 allies, and March 14 which supports the Syrian people in their demands for freedom and democracy .

The current cabinet is dominated by Hezbollah

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20 responses to “March 14 urge Mikati and cabinet to resign”

  1. antar2011 Avatar
    antar2011

    i just loved makaari’s speech…..he was like insulting the PM but in such a honourable and polite manner that he looks like he is praising him 🙂

  2. antar2011 Avatar
    antar2011

    i just loved makaari’s speech…..he was like insulting the PM but in such a honourable and polite manner that he looks like he is praising him 🙂

  3. they keep bringing up the supposed assasination attempt on gagae…how many assasinations were their in their time? how many caught? the stl is a farce? gmayel was assassinated in his home town by obviously someone that knows him because they got out went up to him and opened fire…they escaped the town never to be seen again…to this day we have nothing??? yet gagae claims at least 6 people involved they found 2 shots now 3….they have the bullets,distance and make of weapons yet the stl in all its funding to now first accused syria,arrested 4 generals who were later released and now via going to a womens clinic in dahyieh claim there were 4 members of hezbolah that pulled off the entire assasination??? gagae claims at least 6 were involved to try and assasinate him because of the sophistications involved yet 4 members from hezbolah are accused of blowing up half of beirut and killing hariri along with 22 others YET they are not accusing the hzb of being involved? why was gmayell not afforded the security detail he should have had as an mp? why wasnt wisam eid afforded the same? honestly they all need to go and let the new generation of technocrats run the country because its getting more and more ridiculous…now il wait for someone to tell me im full of shit….bottom line its a circus and we are all on the chain being dragged along…….

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Don’t worry Dateam in case you are in the chain … in a Circus there’s a lot of sawdust to absorb the overflow. 🙂 We just need to hope it’s absorbed a little before we get dragged through it. 😉
      Since it’s not usually the one hired with the gun who is pulling the trigger, it doesn’t matter how many bad shots they sent to do it. And when using a gun that can shoot a mile a security detail wouldn’t help a lot. Gaegae’s ‘luck’ was not stopping movement after the first shot and looking around.
      But it sure has become a way of handling ‘things’ – even feuds between families and shop-owners and people against hydro poles result in pulling out the guns to ‘dialogue’ with. Shoot first, think later. Sometimes we don’t even ask before there’s a string of denials flowing. (which is probably the place to look first) 
      You’re right… a circus … and they all stand up in cabinet to admit nothing works, but nothing changes. They just go to lunch, have some TV-time to take personal shots, then re-group for the next show while making sure the audience pays before it begins. Nobody makes a working solution for anything – except for keeping the sawdust flowing from the logged-out cedar forests.

    2. accidentally liked your post…

      but ya none of these guys were assassinated or had attempts made on their lives, and no bad guys exist in Lebanon. ITS ALL MADE UP JUST SO THEY CAN BITCH AT ONE ANOTHER. Hzb is made up of a bunch of genuinely nice guys, and the Syrian regime truly does want the best for Lebanon and its citizens. (i almost puked after typing this)

    3. accidentally liked your post…

      but ya none of these guys were assassinated or had attempts made on their lives, and no bad guys exist in Lebanon. ITS ALL MADE UP JUST SO THEY CAN BITCH AT ONE ANOTHER. Hzb is made up of a bunch of genuinely nice guys, and the Syrian regime truly does want the best for Lebanon and its citizens. (i almost puked after typing this)

  4. they keep bringing up the supposed assasination attempt on gagae…how many assasinations were their in their time? how many caught? the stl is a farce? gmayel was assassinated in his home town by obviously someone that knows him because they got out went up to him and opened fire…they escaped the town never to be seen again…to this day we have nothing??? yet gagae claims at least 6 people involved they found 2 shots now 3….they have the bullets,distance and make of weapons yet the stl in all its funding to now first accused syria,arrested 4 generals who were later released and now via going to a womens clinic in dahyieh claim there were 4 members of hezbolah that pulled off the entire assasination??? gagae claims at least 6 were involved to try and assasinate him because of the sophistications involved yet 4 members from hezbolah are accused of blowing up half of beirut and killing hariri along with 22 others YET they are not accusing the hzb of being involved? why was gmayell not afforded the security detail he should have had as an mp? why wasnt wisam eid afforded the same? honestly they all need to go and let the new generation of technocrats run the country because its getting more and more ridiculous…now il wait for someone to tell me im full of shit….bottom line its a circus and we are all on the chain being dragged along…….

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Don’t worry Dateam in case you are in the chain … in a Circus there’s a lot of sawdust to absorb the overflow. 🙂 We just need to hope it’s absorbed a little before we get dragged through it. 😉
      Since it’s not usually the one hired with the gun who is pulling the trigger, it doesn’t matter how many bad shots they sent to do it. And when using a gun that can shoot a mile a security detail wouldn’t help a lot. Gaegae’s ‘luck’ was not stopping movement after the first shot and looking around.
      But it sure has become a way of handling ‘things’ – even feuds between families and shop-owners and people against hydro poles result in pulling out the guns to ‘dialogue’ with. Shoot first, think later. Sometimes we don’t even ask before there’s a string of denials flowing. (which is probably the place to look first) 
      You’re right… a circus … and they all stand up in cabinet to admit nothing works, but nothing changes. They just go to lunch, have some TV-time to take personal shots, then re-group for the next show while making sure the audience pays before it begins. Nobody makes a working solution for anything – except for keeping the sawdust flowing from the logged-out cedar forests.

    2. accidentally liked your post…

      but ya none of these guys were assassinated or had attempts made on their lives, and no bad guys exist in Lebanon. ITS ALL MADE UP JUST SO THEY CAN BITCH AT ONE ANOTHER. Hzb is made up of a bunch of genuinely nice guys, and the Syrian regime truly does want the best for Lebanon and its citizens. (i almost puked after typing this)

  5. Sebouh80 Avatar

    Another biased article from Ya Libnan. The Lebanese parliament reminds me of the time of Roman Colosseum with only exception of two rival political parties represented by March 14 and March 8 and the irrational spectators watching their fights and quarrels through TV.

    1. Prophettttt Avatar
      Prophettttt

      Sebouh80, You’re missing the entertainment part of their quarrels. No need to go to a comedy club,and pay for laughs..You can laugh for free.lol

  6. Sebouh80 Avatar

    Another biased article from Ya Libnan. The Lebanese parliament reminds me of the time of Roman Colosseum with only exception of two rival political parties represented by March 14 and March 8 and the irrational spectators watching their fights and quarrels through TV.

    1. Prophettttt Avatar
      Prophettttt

      Sebouh80, You’re missing the entertainment part of their quarrels. No need to pay  to go a to comedy club.You can laugh for free.lol

  7. as long as the bullies/criminals/terrorists and religious radicals control govt and the arms Lebanon will not have any hope of changing for the better. a western democratic style govt and society is a million times better than anything from Syria or iran and no one can argue that. most flee to western societies and take advantage of their systems and the freedoms afforded to them but yet they still support radicals back home…the hypocrisy is sickening really.

    1. master09 Avatar

      They arrive in a country pick up $800 a week from the government, pay half price housing, kids go to school for free, 50 free hospital visits ayear, medicine for as little as $4 while others pay $40, half price bills, they get 100 other things handed to them while they sit for years and not work a single day or work for black money while the government gives them money. But what do they think of this, I hate this country and I would do anything to go back home , this is what they say………while they sit and drink coffee all day and talk about nothing……….YES hypocrisy at it best……………     

  8. as long as terrorists and religious radicals control govt and the arms Lebanon will not have any hope of truly changing for the better. a western democratic style govt and society is a million times better than anything from Syria or iran and no one can argue that. most flee to western societies and take advantage of their systems and the freedoms afforded to them but yet they still support radicals back home…its sickening really.

    1. master09 Avatar

      They arrive in a country pick up $800 a week from the government, pay half price housing, kids go to school for free, 50 free hospital visits ayear, medicine for as little as $4 while others pay $40, half price bills, they get 100 other things handed to them while they sit for years and not work a single day or work for black money while the government gives them money. But what do they think of this, I hate this country and I would do anything to go back home , this is what they say………while they sit and drink coffee all day and talk about nothing……….YES hypocrisy at it best……………     

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