Christian Lawmakers Hold Meeting to Coordinate Stances
A meeting between Christian lawmakers was held on Tuesday to coordinate stances regarding the latest dispute at the parliament which led them to boycott its sessions.
According to An Nahar newspaper published on Thursday, Energy Minister Jebran Bassil and MP Ibrahim Kanaan, who are loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan and Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel held talks in Bikfaya from 11:00 p.m. till 1:00 a.m.
The three parliamentary blocs decided to boycott the legislative session after lawmakers adopted a draft law proposed by the joint parliamentary committees to include all the Electricite du Liban workers in a selection process for permanent employment.
Christian lawmakers lashed out at Speaker Nabih Berri, who is the AMAL leader, arguing that around 80 percent of them belong to non-Christian sects and most of them support Berri, who is a Shiite.
Sources told An Nahar that the issue isn’t based on electoral interests, pointing out that in addition to the full-time employment of EDL contract workers the blocs reject the performance of the parliament and the cabinet.
Al-Akhbar newspaper reported that the meeting also tackled three key issues including introducing electronic voting at the parliament, the regulatory laws that should be proposed by the cabinet and not the parliament and the assembly’s agenda that should be set by the Parliament's Bureau Committee.
Sources told the daily that the gatherers agreed to hold successive meetings to follow up the addressed matters.
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