President Michel Aoun has said that parliament can issue a ruling stating to whom the jurisdiction to try presidents and minister belongs, which would end the controversy related to Judge Tarek BItar’s investigations into the port blast case.
“We might find diverging opinions over this point in parliament, but it is up to the majority to decide,” Aoun said in an interview with Qatar’s al-Sharq newspaper.
“We must abide by the opinion of the parliamentary majority, whether it approves the investigative judge’s measures or it decides to limit the jurisdiction to try ministers, MPs and officials to parliament’s court,” the president added.
Responding to a question, Aoun said he expects parliament to convene soon to settle the matter, noting that the move would “represent an exit for resuming the work of Cabinet and state institutions.”
Separately, Aoun stressed that he is very keen on holding the parliamentary elections on time, warning that Lebanon cannot bear an extension of the term of “the political class that caused the economic and social collapse.”
He also said that he will seek to provide the appropriate circumstances for holding the presidential vote.