Bassil Warns FPM Ready to Topple Political System, Cabinet
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The Free Patriotic Movement is ready to topple the country's political system in an attempt to survive and could resort to the option of bringing down the cabinet, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil has said.
“We are ready to abandon the system,” Bassil said, adding the FPM's rivals “are neither implementing it nor accepting us to be part of it.”
“If I were given two choices, then I would choose what keeps me alive,” the FPM official told al-Akhbar newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday.
“We will definitely back federalism if we were forced to choose between it and our role, existence and dignity,” said Bassil.
“The bad behavior reached to a point where we as Christians feel being unwanted,” he told his interviewer.
Like other FPM officials, Bassil said the anti-government protests that the movement is planning to hold will not be limited to a single sector.
“For the past ten years, we are working on projects and laws that are facing obstruction in the cabinet and elsewhere,” he said.
The FPM is pushing for the government to discuss the appointment of high-ranking military and security officials because FPM chief Michel Aoun wants that his son-in-law Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz be appointed army chief.
Last week, the cabinet failed to tackle the issue and widened the divide among its different parties but further disputes are threatening Thursday's cabinet session.
The plan to hold the protests hinges on the session's outcome, FPM officials have said.
“The issue of toppling the cabinet from inside or outside is one of the options,” Bassil, who is Aoun's other son-in-law, said in response to a question. “We have many more options.”
Asked whether their moves come in response to the FPM's call for the appointment of an army chief, Bassil said: “The issue is no longer about the military leadership and the presidency.”
It is about the authorities of the president, the law on power-sharing and the implementation of administrative and financial decentralization, he said.
“These issues today are much more important than the election of Aoun as president,” Bassil added.
The minister told al-Akhbar that the FPM's rivals are seeking to destroy the president's remaining authorities amid the vacuum at Baabda Palace.
“This is unacceptable and is a matter of life and death for us,” he said.
Baabda has been vacant since President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ended in May last year.
The Christians should protect the presidency and force Prime Minister Tammam Salam to respect their role in the cabinet in the absence of a president, said Bassil.
“I will act as the president inside the cabinet and will not allow anyone to strip me of my authorities,” he added.
G.K.
D.A.
07 July 2015, 09:07
1511
“I will act as the president inside the cabinet and will not allow anyone to strip me of my authorities,” he added.
07 July 2015, 09:09
85
Dear Jibran:
Do you know why flamethrower was banned?
Do you know if he is still posting under 50 different aliases?
Do you know if Mowaten has more than 60 aliases?
and last question: When will you become president?
07 July 2015, 09:25
149
Complete arrogance and delusion. These people should be prosecuted for their continuous undermining of the state.
07 July 2015, 09:26
1511
Unfortunately for Bassilo, the constitution does not allow anybody below the height of 140 cm to become president.
07 July 2015, 09:27
1510
This guy if he wasn't the son-in law would have been "nothing" in real life.
07 July 2015, 09:32
148
Listen to General Abu Jamra saying that the caporal is mentally ill:
http://mtv.com.lb/Programs/Prime_Time_News/2015/Videos/06_Jul_2015/
07 July 2015, 13:00
77
And I will castigate these silly M8ers who still refuse to show one iota of decency, is thumbing down and up a way? You're shameful, at least have the decency to debate us since you hate what we say, but debate as humans and not as pre-programmed Humanoids, and it would help you guys a lot if you stuck to one alias, cowards you are and you're only reflecting a psyche that belongs to people living in gutters, shame on you all!
07 July 2015, 13:13
74
All the hullabaloo from this thing and it's father in law is aimed to increase it's visibility for the coming coronation on top of the FPM. The thing is not very liked by the father in law insists on it. La 3youn gebran.
07 July 2015, 13:25
88
Aoun warns, Bassil warns, the FPM warns, yalla keep warning, the FPM and Hezbollah are clearly aiming to bring down the country. Every time Lebanon enters a promising Summer Season, with tourists aplenty, the FPM and Hezbollah will find ways to destroy things for us all. But they can warn all they want, things have changed in Lebanon, people are sick and tired of turmoil, they just want to live in peace and hope for some stability and a bit of prosperity. Then the FPM has huge problems of its own, with infighting between its top members who wants to succeed their insane leader Aoun. Now dear Naharnet, kindly leave this post of mine in peace, go delete posts that carry humongous insults, not decent posts like mine, if you please, ma heyk?
07 July 2015, 13:39
87
just in case they delete your comment:
-phoenix1 13 minutes ago 01
Aoun warns, Bassil warns, the FPM warns, yalla keep warning, the FPM and Hezbollah are clearly aiming to bring down the country. Every time Lebanon enters a promising Summer Season, with tourists aplenty, the FPM and Hezbollah will find ways to destroy things for us all. But they can warn all they want, things have changed in Lebanon, people are sick and tired of turmoil, they just want to live in peace and hope for some stability and a bit of prosperity. Then the FPM has huge problems of its own, with infighting between its top members who wants to succeed their insane leader Aoun. Now dear Naharnet, kindly leave this post of mine in peace, go delete posts that carry humongous insults, not decent posts like mine, if you please, ma heyk?
07 July 2015, 14:07
76
Wlik ya akhu'l... It's not you as Christians that are certainly unwanted here; it is you as traitors to Lebanon and to Christians in Lebanon that are wanted dead! What the F. are you telling us "you are ready to abandon the system ... to keep yourself alive" you low piece of S.? You have already abandoned Lebanon to save your A.!
08 July 2015, 05:08
00
Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature made them
