Bassil Refuses to Discuss Presidency Bid, Slams Berri and Hariri

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has refused during a TV interview to delve into the possibility of him running for presidency when President Michel Aoun’s term ends.

“As long as President Aoun is in Baabda, I will not discuss this issue, and in the face of people’s pain the presidential elections become a small detail,” Bassil told Alaraby TV.

Separately, Bassil denied that the new government was formed as a result of the phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, noting that its line-up “respected the Lebanese components and the balances in the country.”

The FPM chief also accused Speaker Nabih Berri and others of “eradicating the idea of a strong president and strong component between 1990 and 2005.”

“When it returned, they considered that it did not befit their interest, or the system’s interest, which is comprised of Berri, (ex-PM Saad) Hariri and others. It always looks for a Christian cover to use as a front and their concern is to strangle the strong president and the strong partner who does not meet their demands,” Bassil charged.

“When Berri says that he will not let Aoun rule, this means that he has the ability to obstruct and that he is in charge of things,” the FPM chief said.

“Saad Hariri was not able to form a government and he did not allow anyone to assume the mission,” Bassil went on to say.

As for the chronic and ongoing electricity crisis, the FPM chief said: “Had our electricity plan been endorsed in 2010, we would have spared the Lebanese a lot of what we’re witnessing today, and we hope the new government will be able to address the power issue.”

Asked about the Hizbullah-imported Iranian fuel ships, Bassil said “if there is insistence on depriving the Lebanese of fuel, they have the right to obtain it from any place.”

Bassil also noted that he has not discussed the issue of lifting the sanctions imposed on him with any domestic of foreign party, describing the measures as “political and unjust.”

“The political part can be addressed through politics and the second part can be addressed in a legal and administrative way,” he added.