Jumblat Criticizes 'Presidential Race that Passes through Garbage Dumps instead of Ballot Boxes'

Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat criticized on Tuesday the prolonged presidential vacuum, while hailing the efforts of Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayyeb in resolving the garbage disposal crisis.

He said via Twitter: “I wonder at how the presidential race now has to pass through the garbage dumps instead of ballot boxes.”

He made his remark in reference to political bickering over the elections and the alleged manipulation of the garbage crisis for political gain.

“Shehayyeb will take it upon himself to reveal the details of the trash file if the issue reaches a dead end,” warned Jumblat.

Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.

Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the polls.

Shehayyeb has been leading efforts to resolve the garbage crisis that erupted with the closure of the Naameh landfill in July as politicians failed to find an alternative for it.

The crisis has led to the pile up of garbage on the streets throughout the country, raising fears of the environmental and health repercussions of the problem.