Minister Sejaan Azzi on Tuesday held talks with Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Beshara Boutros Rai, one day after Kataeb Party issued a decision to expel him from the party.
“I asserted to Patriarch Rai that I was committed to Kataeb’s decision to resign from the Cabinet and I was surprised that the party decided to expel me despite that,” Azzi said.
He also stressed that his presence in the Cabinet represents Christians, particularly Maronites.
Kataeb’s politburo decided Monday to expel Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi from the party.
Kataeb politburo’s member Joseph Abou Khalil noted that “based on the report of the party's general secretariat, which highlighted clear violations by Azzi, a decision was issued to permanently expel the minister.
As a first comment, Azzi told LBCI that he regrets Katateb’s dismissal decision.
“However, I do not hold a grudge against Cheikh Sami Gemayel and my comrades,” he added.
He also said that such decision was taken before Kataeb ministers submitted their resignations from Cabinet.
“Maybe because I annoy some people within the new party,” he concluded by saying.
Earlier Monday, Azzi visited Prime Minister Tammam Salam to notify him of Kataeb’s intention to quit the government.
“A resignation is only valid in the presence of a president who has to accept it. A verbal resignation has no constitutional ramification,” Azzi said, adding that this will not prevent him from exercising his full prerogatives and resuming his scheduled work at the ministry.
He also stressed that he will not attend Cabinet meetings, asserting that he is not rebelling against his party.
Last Tuesday, ministers belonging to the Kataeb Party, Economy Minister Alain Hakim and Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi, submitted their resignations.
Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel said he no longer saw the point of participating in a “corrupt” and “failed” government. He added the Cabinet cared only about passing “suspicious deals” at the expense of the Treasury.
Gemayel officially informed on Friday PM Salam of the two ministers' resignation.
During a visit to the Grand Serail, Gemayel stressed that the Kataeb will definitively quit the government and the assumed ministries.