Mustaqbal: Change and Reform Linking Fate of Country, Coexistence to Narrow Family Interests
Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday accused MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc of paralyzing the country and the economy over “narrow personal and family interests,” slamming Hizbullah for providing a “political cover” to its ally.
“After the impediment and hijacking of the presidency, the obstruction and blackmail have moved to the cabinet, which is the only institution that can currently address the situation resulting from the continued presidential void,” said the bloc in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.
“The obstruction of the government's work has major negative repercussions on the country's economic and financial situations,” Mustaqbal warned.
“The state that the Lebanese economy has reached is a dangerous matter for which Hizbullah is to blame,” the bloc added.
It also accused the party of offering Change and Reform a “political cover.”
“The Change and Reform bloc is linking the fate of the country and the fate of Muslim-Christian coexistence to narrow personal and family interests,” Mustaqbal charged.
Separately, the bloc reiterated its call for Hizbullah to withdraw its fighters from war-torn Syria, noting that “Hizbullah's local and regional roles are largely to blame for the growth of extremist and violent movements.”
Change and Reform officials have warned that their bloc's ministers would not attend any cabinet session if the discussion and approval of the appointment of top military and security chiefs are not on the agenda.
Their warning has stopped Prime Minister Tammam Salam from calling for a session in the past week and is threatening to trigger a cabinet paralysis.
Aoun stressed on Saturday that the extension of the terms of the army chief and the heads of military intelligence and Internal Security Forces is "illegitimate."
He has been lobbying for political consensus on the appointment of Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, his son-in-law, as army chief.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Change and Reform bloc said “cabinet should meet in order to restore dignity to the army command.”
“Cabinet should put a stop to ministers who are exceeding their powers. We know who is paralyzing the government,” it added.
Y.R.
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