Change and Reform bloc: Calls to abolish the Military Court are...

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The Change and Reform bloc held on Tuesday its weekly meeting at Rabieh, tackling the latest local and regional developments.

Following the meeting, former Labor Minister Salim Jreissati delivered a statement on behalf of the bloc's MPs in which he noted that interpreting Article 24 of the Lebanese Constitution would clearly define the stipulations of equal power-sharing between Christians and Muslims in state institutions.

Speaker Nabih Berri “confirmed that the interpretation of the Constitution is the responsibility of the parliament, as mentioned in the minutes of the March 29, 2000 session,” he added.

On Monday, MP Alain Aoun carried a letter from bloc leader MP Michel Aoun to Berri, prior to a session for the parliamentary committee tasked with drafting a new electoral law.

In the letter, Aoun asked Berri to schedule a parliamentary session tasked with “interpreting Article 24 of the Constitution, which stipulates equality between Christians and Muslims in the electoral law.”

“The General will submit another request and will suggest other initiatives that serve the interests of the country,” Jreissati noted.

On another note, the bloc lashed out at Justice Minister Achraf Rifi over his recent call for abolishing the Military Court and the Constitutional Council.

He dubbed Rifi's remarks as an “insult against the judiciary.”

As for the recent food safety scandal, the bloc stressed that “a modern food safety law must be adopted, so that the responsibility of each ministry becomes clear.”

“No one must enjoy cover since food corruption harms all sects and raids must include all regions,” the bloc concluded by saying.

Health Minister Wael Abou Faour has been launching a campaign against corruption detected in restaurants and supermarkets in regards to food safety standards, and has made public thus far two lists of violating restaurants and supermarkets underscoring the types of unfit foods being sold.

The minister, who has received the support of many political forces, vowed to push ahead with his campaign, and stressed the need to protect Lebanese citizens against any type of contamination.

Following the food corruption scandal, the Health Ministry has touched on a new file, ordering the closure of 95 beauty centers that operate without official supervision.