REPORT: Outgoing PM Mikati, NSF bloc to boycott Wednesday's General Authority session

      
Sources close to outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Monday that he will boycott Wednesday's General Authority session along with the National Struggle Front MPs.    

Earlier, the body of the Parliament's Bureau convened in Ain el-Tineh whereby MP Michel Moussa voiced his support to Speaker Nabih Berri while Deputy Speaker Farid Mekari formed an alliance with MPs Marwan Hamadeh, Ahmad Fatfat, and Serge Torsakisian. This as MP Antoine Zahra was nited for taking a neutral stance on the aforementioned issue.      

MPs demanded Speaker Berri to set the agenda for the General Authority session, urging the inclusion of items other than the Orthodox Gathering's draft law.     

Speaker Berri responded by saying that no other issues will be tackled in the parliament before drafting a new electoral law.      

The meeting wrapped up without reaching consensus, noting that the Parliament's General Secretariat rushed to distribute the general authority’s agenda which includes one item: the Orthodox Gathering’s draft law.      

Later on, the head of the Future bloc MP Fouad Siniora held a meeting with members of the Parliament’s Bureau whereby Deputy Speaker Farid Makari expressed awe towards the fact that Speaker Nabih Berri “went beyond his prerogatives” and “issued without consultation the general authority’s agenda”, which violates the council’s protocol.      

Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour said earlier that the visit of the National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblatt to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was previously set and aimed at tackling several issues.          

In this regard, Abou Faour stressed that “the Orthodox Gathering’s draft law poses a threat to national unity”, and reiterated his call not to vote in favor of the said law.


To watch the full report, please click on the video above.