Berri Angered by Christian Decision to Boycott Parliamentary Session
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri called on the rival Christian parties to reconsider their stance regarding an upcoming parliamentary session to endorse draft-laws.
“I have carried out my duties... we prepared the session's agenda... I am waiting for everyone to reconsider their stances, as I will not contact anyone anymore and will not discuss it,” Berri stressed in comments published in local newspapers on Friday.
He called on the concerned parties to reconsider their “stances and conscience.”
“I will not call for a parliamentary session anymore after the Free Patriotic Movement joined the Kataeb and Lebanese Forces parties in their decision to boycott it... It will be unconstitutional,” Berri said.
He pointed out that he is not “carrying out a maneuver regarding his will to demand the dissolving of the assembly once a new head of state is elected... let them test me.”
The speaker has been recently annoyed with the Christian parliamentary blocs' decision to boycott a session that he intends to call for to approve urgent issues, including the wage scale for the public sector and the food safety draft-law.
The LF and its old-time rival the FPM will boycott the session over the agenda. The LF is calling for the adoption of a new electoral law, while the FPM wants the amendment of the defense law.
On the other hand, the Kataeb party rejects to attend the session as the “parliament should be only considered as an electoral body and not a legislature” in the absence of a president.
“I have agreed to urgent legislating to preserve the nation's best interest although there's no such thing... I made compromises,” Berri said.
He remarked that the parliament can convene despite the presidential vacuum, stressing that he “will not offer further settlements.”
Berri has been threatening to dissolve the parliament to press lawmakers to carry out their Constitutional duties during the assembly's ordinary session, despite his knowledge that such a move is impossible amid the presidential vacuum.
Parliament convenes twice a year in two ordinary sessions -- the first starts mid-March until the end of May and the second from the middle of October through the end of December.
Vacuum striking the presidential post is having a tough impact on the cabinet and the parliament as the state is threatened with further crises over ongoing rows between the rival parties.
H.K.
G.K.
24 April 2015, 08:11
510
yeah, blame everything on the Christians.... Corrupt sectarian to the bone.
24 April 2015, 18:04
60
They get half the seats regardless of anybody voting for them (Article 24): yeah, it's all their fault.
24 April 2015, 08:22
510
This bloke controlled the country long enough. He should be shipped to Dearbourn michigan to a retirement home next to his gas stations.
24 April 2015, 11:12
15
hahahaha! The ease and swiftness with which you expose those hypocrites always leave us here in the office absolutely speechless flamesrower.! My boss who is one of your most avid supporters just came into in my office and was in awe over your comment. He always says we must learn from you how to debate, when to debate, and what to debate. Somesingly Anazar you are flamesorower!!
24 April 2015, 11:59
06
18/04/1989 Berri:'We will no longer accept a Maronite president.'
25 April 2015, 05:04
02
And according to f.t one time post, HA arms are to ensure that there will no longer be a Maronite President unless he declares allegiance to the resistance.
25 April 2015, 14:57
02
Sorry lamethrower I always post the sectarian hate speech of your paymasters complete, but I do encourage others to grab the part they need and post it
18/04/1989 بري: لن نقبل برئيس ماروني بعد الآن
30/06/1989 حزب الله يعلن الولاء المطلق لآية الله السيد علي خامنئي
01/09/1989 حزب الله يعلن حرب مفتوحة مع الموارنة معتبرا حملة عون على سوريا هي حملة لابادة المسلمين
21/09/1989 حزب الله : نرفض رئيسا مارونيا ونرفض الذل تحت اسم التعايش مع النصارى
13/10/1989 حزب الله : سنمزق اتفاق الطائف
20/10/1989 بري: غير معنيين بالطائف والقبول به خيانة
12/11/1989 حزب الله: الطائف استسلام للمارونية السياسية واسرائيل
http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/Services/SpecialDocuments/specialdocs2k2k5.htm
25 April 2015, 14:57
02
translation
18/04/1989 Berri: We will no longer accept a Maronite president
30/06/1989 Hezbollah declares absolute loyalty to the Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei
01/09/1989 Hezbollah declares open war on the Maronites calling Aoun's attacks on Syria a campaign to exterminate the Muslims
21/09/1989 Hezbollah: We reject the Maronite president and reject the humiliation in the name of coexistence with the Christians
13/10/1989 Hezbollah: We will tear up the Taif Agreement
20/10/1989 Berri: We are not interested in Taif and accepting it is a betrayal
12/11/1989 Hezbollah: The Taif Agreement is a surrender to the Maronite political system and Israel
24 April 2015, 15:46
28
The Constitution is quite clear that the Parliament does not sit as a legislative body in the absence of a President of the Republic. It can only sit and exist as an electoral body. It cannot act on a legislative agenda without a President.
If Berri were to perform the duties of his office as Speaker under the Constitution then he would hold the Parliament in CONTINUOUS SESSION until a President is elected. That means no boycotts, and no one leaves the Chamber until the balloting is finished and a president elected. This is the job of a Speaker as prescribed by the Constitution, but a job that Berri is either not willing or not able to perform. And so he gripes.
