Bassil: We Want to Destroy 1990-2005 Equation and Corrupt Structure

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has announced that the FPM wants to “destroy” what he called the “corrupt structure” that ruled the country between 1990 and 2005.

“The 1990-2005 era was based on marginalizing and eliminating a part of the Lebanese society... The Syrians withdrew from Lebanon and ended their hegemony, but it was replaced by the Four-Party Coalition, which extended Syria's dominance for an additional period before eventually collapsing,” said Bassil during the annual dinner of FPM's Koura department.

The so-called Four-Party Coalition was an electoral alliance that gathered Hizbullah, AMAL Movement, al-Mustaqbal Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party in the 2005 parliamentary elections.

“We want to destroy the 1990-2005 equation and its corrupt structure that has eliminated the Lebanese. Either it defeats us or we defeat it. There won't be a middle-ground solution regarding the State. The State either exists or it doesn’t exist,” Bassil added.

“We want to remain the movement that is radical in its patriotism and fight against corruption. Today, the FPM is the guardian of the National Pact. We should understand our role and realize that we are regaining power for all people and we are not shy about that,” the FPM chief added, addressing his movement's members and supporters.

“It is unacceptable for any of the Lebanese to undermine the National Pact, which is the basis of coexistence... What is our other choice? Partitioning? No, we won't accept that and our only choice is national unity,” Bassil stressed.

The 1943 National Pact is an unwritten agreement that set the foundations of modern Lebanon as a multi-confessional state based on balance between Muslims and Christians.

Addressing Prime Minister Tammam Salam, Bassil said “the son of late PM Saeb Salam must pay great attention when he says that the government is respecting the National Pact when it convenes in the presence of ministers representing only six percent of a main component of the country (Christians).”

Senior FPM officials have warned that the movement could soon take gradual escalation measures that might take the form of resigning from the cabinet, boycotting national dialogue, resorting to the judiciary or taking to the streets in popular demonstrations.

The FPM's latest boycott of the cabinet is linked to the thorny issue of military and security appointments.

Defense Minister Samir Moqbel has recently postponed the retirement of Higher Defense Council chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir after no consensus was reached over three candidates that he had proposed, angering the FPM which says that it opposes term extensions for all senior officers.

The movement fears that the extension of Kheir's term could pave the way for a new extension of the tenure of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji next month.

Qahwaji's retirement had been postponed in September 2013 and his term was instead extended for two years.