Bassil Says Wants Appointments 'Under the Law', Criticizes Moqbel, Army Command
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil announced Thursday that the FPM wants the stalled military and security appointments to take place “under the law,” criticizing Defense Minister Samir Moqbel and the Army Command over alleged “violations.”
“The FPM has never accepted any illegal measure … We want the appointments to occur under the law,” said Bassil during an interview on LBCI television.
“The current Army Command has taken unjust decisions against some army brigadier generals,” Bassil charged.
He also slammed the defense minister for “committing violations in the file of appointments” and “usurping the role of the cabinet.”
“There is a problem that needs to be solved and solutions must occur in the cabinet and with the participation of the FPM,” Bassil added, noting that “the dialogue table cannot produce solutions as long as some parties are linking their decisions to foreign forces.”
As for the FPM's Sunday rally outside the presidential palace in Baabda, Bassil noted that it is aimed at “reviving the scene of the struggle movement that we were raised on.”
"My resentment over the electricity file is bigger than that of the civil society protest movement and the electricity projects were obstructed," Bassil added.
Earlier in the day, Colonel Maroun al-Qobayati was appointed as commander of the army's Commando Regiment to replace Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, media reports said.
Hopes have dimmed on the possibility of the rival political parties reaching a settlement on the promotion of several officers ahead of Roukoz's retirement on October 15.
Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun had been hoping that the promotion of Roukoz, his son-in-law, would keep him in the military and make him eligible to lead the institution.
The thorny issue of military appointments and promotions is one of the main points of contention paralyzing the cabinet's work.
Sources close to Aoun have blamed the ministerial bloc loyal to ex-President Michel Suleiman for the deadlock on military promotions.
Political rivals had held backstage talks on the promotions in recent days.
Y.R.
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