Miqati and Bassil Bicker at Cabinet over Electricity File

Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Energy Minister Jebran Bassil quarreled over the electricity file during a cabinet session that was held at the Baabda Palace on Thursday, forcing President Michel Suleiman to intervene to end the dispute.

Earlier this week, parliament failed to approve an electricity draft law proposed by FPM leader MP Michel Aoun that allows Bassil to receive $1,200,000,000 to implement a project on producing 700 Megawatts of electricity.

The March 14-led opposition says that the draft law gives the minister the freedom to use the amount of money without referring to the cabinet or without any monitoring by the Audit Bureau.

Sources told the daily al-Liwaa in remarks published on Friday that the quarrel between Miqati and Bassil broke out as the minister was explaining the draft law and criticizing the government’s position on it.

This prompted the prime minister to respond that he cannot ignore the will of the MPs, adding that there are norms that should be respected when making such a proposal and spending state funds.

At this, Suleiman and a number of ministers intervened to end the dispute, suggesting that the cabinet adopt the proposal through a draft law that would be prepared during its next session, scheduled for next Thursday.

After Thursday’s session, Suleiman and Bassil held a closed-door meeting ahead of attending the iftar that was held at the presidential palace.

The minister later held a press conference on Friday to discuss the dispute over the electricity draft law, saying: “We are part of the parliamentary majority, so it should be approved, otherwise it will seem that we are not the majority and we would have therefore failed.”

He accused the Mustaqbal movement and its allies of seeking to “sabotage” the electricity draft law, adding: “The other camp will reject all our proposals under various excuses.”

“This draft law was approved under the government of former Premier Saad Hariri, and therefore the excuses they are presenting are aimed at obstructing our goal of providing electricity to the people,” he stated.

On accusations that he is seeking to steal the money needed to fund the electricity plan, Bassil said: “We have taken the procedures adopted by all ministries as all projects and agreements are subject to laws and auditing, as opposed to a number of state establishments.”