Bassil Slams ‘Shiite Duo’, Decries ‘New Four-Party Alliance’

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday lashed out at Hizbullah and the Amal Movement over the Constitutional Council’s failure to issue a ruling on an appeal filed by the FPM against the electoral law’s amendments.

“The Constitutional Council has committed suicide,” Bassil said in a televised address.

“The Council was toppled and paralyzed today,” he lamented, describing what happened as “a sign of the disintegration of the state.”

“What happened undermines the National Pact and the President’s jurisdiction as to Article 57, and it is an additional fall of the constitution which we are trying to preserve,” Bassil said.

He added that what happened took place based on a “clear political decision by a system that is allied with each other during President Aoun’s term.”

“It was led today by the Shiite duo in the Constitutional Council, which will have political consequences,” Bassil went on to say.

Lamenting that the Constitutional Council “decided to remain silent over a host of issues, including the manipulation of deadlines and the addition of articles to a legislative text related to the powers of the justice and foreign ministers without a discussion nor a vote,” Bassil decried the no-ruling as the result of a “new four-party alliance” in the face of the FPM.

He was referring to the 2005 parliamentary elections, when the FPM’s lists competed in some districts against candidates backed by Hizbullah, the Amal Movement, the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party.

Bassil also revealed that he received a phone call and a proposal prior to the Constitutional Council’s decision.

“We were asked to accept voting in parliament in favor of the (formation of the) Higher Council (for the Trial of Presidents and Ministers), in return for the Constitutional Council accepting our appeal. I told them that they already know the answer and to stop these ploys. The bargain proposal was not accepted two months ago and it will not be accepted today,” the FPM chief added.

“We are seeking a solution, not a bargain, and we tell the Shiite duo that there is no justification for the failure to hold Cabinet sessions. I also tell this to the premier, because it doesn’t seem that he is in a hurry regarding this,” Bassil said.