Berri Resolute to Expedite Council to Try Presidents, Ministers
Speaker Nabih Berri expressed determination to form the Higher Council to try presidents and ministers in order to “hold accountable officials who violate the law,” the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat reported on Saturday.
Sources close to Berri told the daily the “obstacle hampering the fight against corruption is that some officials violate the law and find no one to hold them accountable.”
The source added: “Several tenders were rejected by the Tenders Department of the Central Inspection Bureau for failure to abide by the law, but despite that some ministers have insisted on them and the file of power barges is a perfect example.”
In 2017, a tender put forward by then Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil of the Free Patriotic Movement to lease power generation vessels has been marred by allegations of attempted bribery.
Early this week, the Speaker called for a parliament session to elect seven lawmakers for the Higher Council whose function is to try presidents and ministers.
The Council consists of seven deputies elected by the Chamber of Deputies and of eight of the highest Lebanese judges, according to their rank in the judicial hierarchy, or, in case of equal ranks, in the order of seniority.
Source: Naharnet
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