Miqati in Mecca for Omra, Jumblat Could Visit Saudi Arabia Over Electricity Dispute

Premier Najib Miqati travelled to Mecca for Omra on Wednesday after a 10-minute cabinet session held at Baabda palace to discuss the controversial electricity bill.

Following the session, Miqati held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri at the parliament building. Both men agreed on postponing a parliamentary session that was set to endorse the electricity bill had the cabinet approved it.

Differences between the Free Patriotic Movement and Progressive Socialist Party prevented a government consensus on the bill proposed by FPM chief MP Michel Aoun to allocate $1.2 billion to Energy Minister Jebran Bassil to provide 700 megawatts of electricity to the country.

Al-Liwaa daily said that even if the government had approved the bill with reservations expressed by ministers loyal to Jumblat, parliament would have failed to endorse the draft law given the role of balance of power that the Druze leader plays in the legislature.

He is approaching his old position of alliance with the March 14 forces, PSP sources told the newspaper, saying that the circumstances are ripe for him to visit Saudi Arabia.