Press Digest for Monday January 23, 2012

6^min

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.

An-Nahar: Bellemare to pay Beirut a goodbye visit

An-Nahar daily reported that Beirut will host the STL Prosecutor General Daniel Bellemare on Thursday and Friday for a goodbye visit. The daily added that Bellemare will meet with Lebanese officials during his visit.

The local newspaper stressed that Bellemare will meet with Interior Minister Marwan Charbel on Friday to discuss the findings of the investigations led by the Lebanese security forces.

Berri to Bassil: There should be no discrimination in power rationing

The visitors of Speaker Nabih Berri told An-Nahar daily that Berri does not endorse the remarks made by Energy Minister Gebran Bassil who had said: “Things will go from bad to worst on the electricity level”. With all good intentions and based on the friendship he has with Bassil’s political coalition, Berri urged Bassil to be frank with the Lebanese as to what is truly happening.

Berri stressed the need not to discriminate against any region in the process of power rationing, excluding Beirut for reasons know to all. Berri wondered about the fate of poor families that cannot pay for heating fuel.

Berri urged Bassil to devise a plan of action that will solve this problem, adding that the Parliament did its part and passed the electricity plan.

Bassil: Enlightenment prayers alone won’t provide electricity

Energy Minister Gebran Bassil told As-Safir daily that many obstacles are hampering a solution to the electricity issue.

“The government must realize that it has two choices, either it assumes full responsibility and takes all appropriate steps to push forward with pending projects, or it becomes threatened”, Bassil said, “the electricity issue does not hurt the minister, rather the whole government.”

Bassil added that the electricity plan passed by the Parliament is a the first step and further measures should be taken such as launching bidding offers and rehabilitating power plants and power lines.

Bassil said that “enlightenment prayers alone won’t provide an electric current, what we need is to implement projects and limit obstacles”, urging the Lebanese to be patient.

Bassil said that the crisis of power rationing is being politicized as part of the slandering campaign against the Free Patriotic Movement. “They will never hold us back, what they are doing will only make us stronger”, Bassil said.

An-Nahar publishes report on Lebanese expatriates voting

An-Nahar daily published an extract of a report drafted by the Foreign Ministry and based on reports submitted to 70 Lebanese delegations. The report includes a map of the Lebanese diaspora in the world and the projected voters.

The report also includes the number of those who expressed their willingness to cast their votes. These numbers are based on forms posted by embassies and consulates on their official websites and filled by the Lebanese. The diplomatic missions also presented their estimations regarding the cost of the electoral process and requirements such as polling stations, ballot boxes and the adequate number of employees. The report also includes the host countries’ position regarding the conduction of elections on their lands.

The report prompts Lebanon –the opposition and the majority- to raise an important challenge. Lebanon must make it clear for expatriates that their votes, not only their financial support, count. The report underscored the importance for expatriates to recover their nationalities…

Nahhas: Let them sack me if they can

Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas told As-Safir daily that he made a final decision not to resign, adding “if some within the cabinet do not like my decision, all they have to do is ensure a majority of 20 ministers to sack me”.

Nahhas stressed that MP Michel Aoun supports him “100% in his decision”, adding that he was touched and moved by the encouragement of the people who stood by him and asked him not to resign.

“One of the minister’s main duties, by virtue of the constitution, is to implement the law”, Nahhas said, adding that his duty is not to sign the transportation fees decree because “not only does it violate the Lebanese law, but also international conventions and agreements that provide a clear definition for wages”.

Speaking on those who are saying that he has the duty to simply implement the cabinet’s decision regardless of his personal stance, Nahhas said that the cabinet does not hold the authority on the transportation fees issue.

“No one can force me to violate the law, because the constitution entrusts the minister with the task of safeguarding it”, Nahhas said.