Youssef to LBCI: Aounists are bullies and robbers not reformists

Future bloc MP Ghazi Youssef told Nharkom Said TV show that the cabinet breached the “Rule of Twelve” since it has spent three billion dollars outside of 2010 budget.

The “Rule of Twelve”, as stated in the constitution, applies only in cases when the budget has not been passed before the beginning of the year. The rule mandates a division of the total sum of the available budget to be divided into 12 parts that can be then be spent in each month. The cabinet cannot spend beyond this allotted sum each month.

“The other party is unjustly pointing fingers towards Siniora’s cabinet and accusing it of spending $12 billion during 4 years, while PM Najib Mikati is asking for $6 billion to cover expenses”, Youssef added.  

Youssef accused the Aounist of bullying other ministers and robbing public funds instead of following the path of “change and reform”. “I call on [March 8] to hire independent observers, even if from Iran, to hold former governments accountable”, Youssef said, stressing that this party is trying to escape financial auditing.

Youssef considered resetting accounts as a fabrication used by the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) to accuse the Future movement of hiding information and documents, adding that resetting accounts does not mean that the past will be forgotten.  

 The Future MP urged the Parliament to uphold its promises by raising the issue of funding the STL in order to preserve its credibility.