Naharnet

Aoun to Lebanese: If You Want Electricity then You Should Occupy Parliament

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun accused on Wednesday the government of shortcomings in performing its duties, saying that its “lapses of consciousness are unacceptable.”

He said: “The MPs, administrations, and security apparatuses are conspiring with each other and the Justice Minister is obligated to tackle this matter.”

“Some ministers have grown accustomed to politicizing state services, which is unacceptable,” he declared.

Aoun then called on the Lebanese to occupy parliament “if you want electricity and I will support you.”

“We are ready to create a dispute with whomever we want because we have a strong support base and we don’t derive our power from any foreign country,” he stressed.

“A total of $12,000 a minute have been lost because of MPs’ failure to approve the electricity draft law,” he said.

He defended Energy Minister Jebran Bassil who proposed the law, saying that he is seeking to employ them for the country’s interests.

“A thief is not allowed to talk about transparency and we have their files on exploiting funds,” Aoun warned.

Parliament failed to approve on Wednesday a draft law on electricity that was suggested by Aoun.

The draft law allows Bassil to receive $1,200,000,000 to implement a project on producing 700 Megawatts of electricity.

“Parliament is facing a test of either lighting Lebanon or leaving it in the dark,” he told As Safir newspaper, adding “there is no reason for any team to oppose it.”

But March 14-led opposition sources stressed to An Nahar that the draft law gives Bassil the freedom to use the amount of money without referring to the cabinet or without any monitoring by the Audit Bureau.


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