Salam Holds onto Power, Slams 'Political Trash'
Prime Minister Tammam Salam vowed on Monday not to give up his responsibilities despite anti-government protests that have been shaking the country in the past two weeks.
Salam told the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper that he was not surprised by the demonstrations held against the backdrop of a waste crisis that erupted following the closure of the Naameh landfill, south of Beirut, last month.
“I have always warned the political parties not to prolong the paralysis that extended from the presidency, to the parliament and then to the government,” Salam said.
“I have also been warning for the past month against turning our backs to the people's affairs and … making them the victims of score settlement,” the PM told the daily.
Salam said he is neither the leader of a political movement nor part of the patronage system that divvies up power among politicians.
“I am part of the people and I feel their pain. I have struggled to become their voice but the political trash did not pay attention to the people's affairs,” he said.
The solution to the current crises comes through the government's unity and the proposal of a waste management plan which the state would be able to implement, Salam added.
Thousands rallied in downtown Beirut on Saturday over the garbage crisis, chanting "revolution, revolution" and setting a three-day ultimatum for authorities to respond to demands, including the resignation of Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq.
The government's failure to resolve the trash crisis has evolved into wider protests against the political class that has dominated Lebanon since the end of the country's civil war in 1990 and a government that has failed to provide even basic services to its people.
But al-Mashnouq refused to resign.
In remarks to As Safir newspaper, he said: “I am the only official who is trying to do something to resolve the waste crisis.”
“Most of the political parties are running away from their responsibilities,” he said.
31 August 2015, 07:54
166
FT, manipulathorr, persona, mowaten and I are the 5 most informative posters on naharnet. No wonder our comments are always in the VIP section of the top rated comments.
31 August 2015, 11:31
817
"I am part of the people and I feel their pain" hahahahahahahahaha at least nobody can say that tamman doesnt have some NERVE!!
But what happened to his previous fake annoucements that he would resign? Now he's clinging on to his chair
31 August 2015, 13:04
135
@mowaten E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T. Still laughing since the day you declared with a straight face you were a shiaa atheist and also a member of hezbollah with only one account. I think i will also continue to laugh at your statement " hahahahahahahahaha at least nobody can say that tamman doesnt have some NERVE!!". Thank you Thank you
31 August 2015, 18:28
41
Seems like Salam got power hungry, just like all March 14 politicians.
31 August 2015, 18:30
02
@mowaten, they don't like your answers so they vote you down, then next they bring the trolls who insult you and your family. Boring.
31 August 2015, 18:32
13
why do you keep denying it is a martyred iranian jihadi terrorist family in your avatar?
31 August 2015, 19:31
13
Mystic, you said and I quote,: Seems like Salam got power hungry, just like all March 14 politicians" end of quote. You ya Mystic should be the last person in this country that should take liberties with this phrase, please ya khal, bala waldaneh.
31 August 2015, 19:33
14
They are part of that OTV Al Mannar Studio that is here to flag up to get favorite posting, it's all about that sick old culture of cheat anyway you can, but cheat. The result obviously is that terrible fall from grace, and good luck to them, they did it all by themselves if they'd still wonder what happened to them.
31 August 2015, 08:01
155
Dear Mr. Salam
I hope you are not including me and mowaten when you are referring to trash?
31 August 2015, 08:02
145
Hey flamethrower...you are one man army...in this site so many person against you and you never backdown you tweet them back...I salute your spirit..
31 August 2015, 08:04
155
I'm not a big poster here but I have been using this site for over 30 years and recently I have been liking your posts @persona, your the only one informing these deluded ignorants. :)
31 August 2015, 08:06
156
Meh I remember when I was in Lebanon and it was Ramadan I was in place in dahieh, at a famous fast food place, I believe it was called abu ali falafel, but not sure, anyways. I am sure it was in dahieh because there were so many shia mosques. I was eating that tutifruity and falafel sandwich and the shias were looking at me with anger, until one guy came, told me something in Farsi Arabic "Allah Akbar, Labayka Ya Nassrallah or something Labayka Ya Hussein", and tried to take away my cup of fruits and the falafel sandwich. Until a police or army some security guy, told the fanatic to back off.
31 August 2015, 08:27
155
I respect Mr. poulet.rooj , Mr. manipulathorr, Mr. persona, Mr. flamethrower and Mr. mowaten equally.
31 August 2015, 08:40
711
As long as a population ,willingly or by force, is divided then it becomes an easy target to be manipulated by anybody...the constitution of this country has to be amended in order to ensure equality among its people and eliminate any kind of discrimination based on ethnic or religious background.
31 August 2015, 11:11
515
You should resign, your government has failed. Your only objective should be to resign and organize parliamentary elections before everything else. Current parliament is not legitimate nor the government. Elections now
31 August 2015, 11:26
146
Mr Salam,
We hope you stay firm because the country needs you more than any time no matter what some politicians say. You have the support of the majority and this is the democracy. Nowhere and at no any time there has been consensus in any democratic matter voting. Consensus never existed but in the authoritarian and dictatorial situations.
31 August 2015, 12:29
718
"You have the support of the majority and this is the democracy" how do you claim that? How do you know what the majority wants, and how do you dare speak in its name?
And how is it democracy when the parliament violates the people's right to vote and re-elected itself, TWICE?
31 August 2015, 12:31
718
It's not democracy, it's kleptocracy where the corrupt politicians become billionaires while the people keeps getting poorer.
31 August 2015, 12:52
85
and how is it democracy when your sectarian hezb monopolizes war decisions and instates itself as a resistance claiming to defend the whole nation?
31 August 2015, 13:38
85
mowaten, I'm not a big poster here but I have been using this site for over 30 years and recently I have been liking your posts , your the only one informing these deluded ignorants. :)
31 August 2015, 13:05
85
@PEACE (Guest)
yes mowaten is right, how do you claim that? How do you know what the majority wants?! Only mowaten knows what the majority wants. He has 101 aliases and he knows.
31 August 2015, 13:31
125
hahahaha! you are somesing anazar flamesrower. You have a unique style that stands out. My maid and I love you to death.
31 August 2015, 13:35
85
Mowaten is the modern day version of Joseph Goebbel.
if you don't know who I mean ..you should !
look it up
31 August 2015, 14:19
411
do you know how we recognize zionists? all their references are stuck on that period, as if nothing else in history mattered. bunch of self-centered whiners.
31 August 2015, 19:29
04
Movaten, don't you think that you're now truly getting boring with this Zionist stuff? I mean really.....zahhatet Allah li khala2na, fle2na bi ri7a taybeh, dakheelak....
31 August 2015, 19:33
02
إزالة شعار "الموت لأميركا" من سفارة أمريكا في طهران
قامت إيران بإزالة شعار "الموت لأميركا" من الجدران، بما فيه جدران مبنى السفارة الأميركية المغلق في طهران، بعد أيام من انتشار خبر إلغاء هذا الشعار من المساجد.
ونشر موقع "فردا نيوز" صورا عن أشخاص يقومون بمسح الشعار من جدران مبنى السفارة الأميركية الذي يطلق عليه النظام الإيراني "وكر التجسس" منذ أن احتله طلاب ثوريون عقب انتصار الثورة عام 1979 حيث أدى احتلال السفارة واحتجاز الدبلوماسيين الأميركيين كرهائن لمدة 444 يوما إلى قطع العلاقات الدبلوماسية بين البلدين لـ 36 عاما.
http://www.alarabiya.net/ar/iran/2015/08/31/إيران-تمسح-شعار-الموت-لأميركا-من-مبنى-سفارة-أميركا.html
31 August 2015, 22:50
01
i believe that this whole crisis is an israeli plot to bring out hassoune el jardoune from his sewer... see rats and rodents live on trash... when there is more trash above than below the ground they will come out of hiding.
01 September 2015, 01:55
01
@mowaten,
The support for Salam is clear and evident nationally and internationally.
Beside what will be left if mr Salam resigns? Imposing AOUN at gunpoints in a jungle ruling? Nop
An extended parliament is safer than vacuum as it is unrealistic to have general fair election at this time (unless you count on HA guns threatening every mowaten)
Talking about corruption, I say it clearly even we found corrupted politicians everywhere I still emphasize on the corruption of Bas-Seal, Aoun and HA, they are second to none either in the past or the present.
FPM sets an example for its view of democracy by imposing the closer relative ( consensus).
I still ask you to wake up and let us elect a president with the available parliament as first priority.
Pray that AOUN is the winner and I don't mind as far as it is done by fair election.
All our other crisis will be delt with after.
No benefit from the chaos. Be realistic
01 September 2015, 07:09
10
Quick question- so why did he accept to head this trash bunch of ministers if he is saying he's not part of it.
I'm not following the logic.
