Harb: Parliamentary Session Occasion to Inform Public Opinion about Cabinet Mistakes

March 14 opposition MP Butros Harb said Monday that a three-day parliamentary session would not necessarily lead to a vote of confidence against the government of Premier Najib Miqati.

“These sessions could be an opportunity to inform the public opinion about the mistakes that the government is making and the policy that it is adopting, which is harming the country,” Harb told Voice of Lebanon (100.5) radio station.

“They could also end up with a vote of confidence,” the lawmaker said about the sessions that kick off on Tuesday to assess the government’s performance.

Harb hinted that the opposition would not resort to a confidence vote given that it lacks the majority support in the parliament.

He reiterated the accusation that the March 8 coalition turned the former majority into a minority through the force of Hizbullah’s arms.

Asked about which issue the opposition would seek to criticize the cabinet, Harb said: “We won’t know from where to start in criticizing this government given the amount of violations” it has committed.

“Not only the opposition is speaking about these violations but also the government itself,” he told VDL. “Cabinet members are accusing each other and the premier is accusing his ministers of seeking to strike side deals.”

Harb was referring to Miqati’s criticism of Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi for allegedly seeking to take a commission from the deal to lease power-generating vessels.