FPM, PSP Tone Down Rhetoric but Bassil Rejects Compromises on Electricity Plan

The Free Patriotic Movement and Progressive Socialist Party have toned down their rhetoric but continued to hold onto their stances on the electricity draft law that has threatened disunity in the cabinet.

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, who is FPM chief Michel Aoun’s son-in-law, told As Safir daily that he is ready to give more explanations to cabinet ministers on the electricity project to find the suitable solution to the crisis.

He warned, however, that the FPM wasn’t ready to make major compromises on the draft law proposed by Aoun to allocate $1.2 billion to Bassil to generate 700 megawatts of electricity.

“No settlement could be reached on the plan,” he said, adding that the cabinet should either adopt it or reject it.

Walid Jumblat’s Progressive Socialist Party is insisting on the formation of a technical committee to oversee the spending of the funds.

Minister Wael Abou Faour, who is loyal to Jumblat, told As Safir that a solution should be reached ahead of a cabinet session scheduled to be held on Sept. 7 to approve the project.

“Some suggestions have been made to find a solution to the technical and financial issues,” he said, adding that the suggestions are not a challenge to any political group.

PM Najib Miqati has tasked Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas with holding consultations with top officials to find a solution to the crisis.