Miqati Denies Inciting Port Victims Families againt Bitar

Prime Minister Najib Miqati denied Monday the presence of a bargain with the families of the port victims, in return for Cabinet meetings' resumption.

Miqati's media office negated in a statement that the Prime Minister had coordinated with the families of the victims to file new lawsuits against lead investigator into the case Judge Tarek Bitar.

"A newspaper reported today that Miqati had secretly asked some parties to coordinate with the families to file lawsuits against Bitar accusing him of selectivity," the statement said, stressing Miqati's stance on not interfering in the judiciary work.

Meanwhile, families of the Beirut port blast victims have blocked the road outside the Justice Palace in Beirut with burning tires.

Bitar has been forced to suspend his probe repeatedly over lawsuits filed by officials he had called in for questioning on suspicion of negligence.

The lawsuits against Bitar will inevitably delay the presentation of his findings which were previously expected by the year's end.

Rights groups and relatives of blast victims say "flagrant political interference, immunity for high-level political officials, and lack of respect for fair trial" have rendered the Beirut blast probe incapable of delivering justice.