Officials Highlight Need to Conduct Municipal Elections on Time
Politicians have asserted the need to hold the municipal elections which are slated for later this year on time over concerns that they would face the same fate as the parliamentary elections.
Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq had therefore assured that the elections will be held on time and that the term of the current councils will not be extended.
“All political factions have publicly approved the need to have the elections held on time. Some have even been enthusiastic about the idea,” he told As Safir daily on Tuesday.
He stressed that the ministry is ready for the polls and that “the terms of the current municipal councils will not extended.”
Mashnouq called on everyone to “be prepared and to act on the basis of the fact that the elections are inevitable.”
For his part, Speaker Nabih Berri told al-Joumhouria daily: “Amal movement and Hizbullah have started readying for the elections three weeks ago.”
He slammed media reports claiming that Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal oppose the elections, stating: “It was said that two major parties are the ones opposing the elections, and they meant Hizbullah and Mustaqbal. But according to the information we have, these two parties want the elections to take place.”
Education Minister Elias Bou Saad had warned against paralyzing the elections: “We will face a state of vacuum at the municipal councils if anyone wishes to postpone them.”
As Safir stated that ambassadors of Britain, France, U.S., Germany, representatives of the European Union and the Secretary General of the United Nations had insisted during meetings with Lebanese officials the need to conduct the elections.
“It is not permissible for the exercise of democracy including, the municipal elections, to be absent from the ancient traditions of a country like Lebanon known for its democracy,” they said.
Allocating the necessary funds for the said elections will be discussed during the cabinet session slated on Tuesday.
The first stage of the polls will kick off early in May.
D.A.
G.K.
Source: Naharnet
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