Press Digest for Monday May 20, 2013

Press Digest
20-05-2013 | 01:57
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Press Digest for Monday May 20, 2013
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4min
Press Digest for Monday May 20, 2013

The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.


Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told As-Safir newspaper that he will not bear the responsibility of a political void in the country, adding that if deputies agree on the 1960 electoral law the ministry will intensify its efforts to hold the upcoming parliamentary election on the 16th of June.               

In this regard, Charbel said that the caretaker cabinet should convene at the soonest time possible to agree on the formation of the electoral supervisory committee tasked with overseeing the elections and appointing its head and members.               


  • Salam: Political changes may impose a certain governmental formula 
                          
Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam said that he gave parliamentary blocs, the Communications Committee, and House Speaker Nabih Berri the chance to agree upon an electoral law before taking any decision in regards to the formation of the cabinet.                            

Talking to As-Safir newspaper, Salam said that he cannot determine his position before the Parliamentary Communications Committee agrees either on an electoral law or on extending the parliament’s mandate.                             

Salam added that he supports a governmental formula that ensures 8 ministers for March 8, 8 for March 14 and 8 other independent ministers since this formula “guarantees balance in the cabinet and between political factions”.           

“Changes on the political field may impose a different governmental approach,” Salam concluded.                 



Future Bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat told Al-Joumhouria newspaper that the Parliament’s Communications Committee will be dealing today (Monday) with different scenarios in regards to the electoral law.         

According to MP Fatftat, the Committee will either have to agree on the hybrid draft or on the 1960 law; however, he expressed his concern that deputies may agree on extending the parliament’s mandate.            

Fatfat expressed his worry that deputies will fail to agree on an electoral law and eventually lead the country toward a political void.                           

MP Fatfat ruled out the possibility of extending the parliament’s mandate unless it were a technical extension in order to hold the upcoming elections this year.          


  • Sleiman rejects extending the parliament’s mandate
                   
Al-Hayat newspaper quoted visitors of Lebanese President Michel Sleiman as saying that the latter will not sign a law that extends the parliament’s mandate under the pretext of failing to agree upon a new law, adding that “it is better to hold the elections on the basis of the 1960’s electoral law”.           

In this regard, sources told Al-Hayat newspaper that members of the Communications Committee will be waiting for the stance of the Change of Reform Bloc since its leader MP Michel Aoun has repeatedly voiced rejection for the extension of the parliament’s mandate.               


  • General Security apparatus receiving telecommunications’ data

An-Nahar Daily said on Monday that the General Security apparatus is receiving the telecommunications’ data that it needs upon the approval of Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel.          

According to An-Nahar newspaper, General Security Chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim sent more than one memorandum to the interior ministry and received immediate approvals from PM Mikati and Minister Charbel “who did not take into account the freedom and privacy of citizens”.     
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