Premier Najib Mikati said Friday that the government in its present form is preferable to its resignation. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)
BEIRUT — Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday called on the country’s judicial authorities to assign the Supreme Council to handle the questioning of MPs in relation to the August 2020 Beirut port blast investigation, describing such a move as “the demand of some groups before going back to cabinet meetings,” the state-run National News Agency reported. Mikati made his remarks in an interview with the Middle East News Agency, the NNA added.
Here’s what we know:
• According to the NNA, Mikati said that he is for the separation of judicial authorities and accused the judiciary of “mixing between” the legal authority of the Supreme Council, which he says is responsible for prosecuting MPs, and the port blast investigation,” which is under the Court of Justice.
• The prime minister claimed the constitution is clear on the matter of the prosecution of MPs and ministers: it should be handled by the Supreme Council. He also asked the Higher Judicial Council to “take the responsibility for fixing the procedure.”
• Mikati also said that he has preferred not to schedule a cabinet meeting before finding a solution to the dispute about the role of the port blast investigation head Judge Tarek Bitar, saying “I don’t want to trigger some groups … my way is to find the right solutions.” The premier added that “the government in its current form is way better than its resignation and going back to the void.”
• Mikati’s cabinet has not met since Oct. 12 when a session was adjourned over a threat by Amal and Hezbollah affiliated ministers to walk out if the government refused to take a stance on Bitar’s leadership of the probe. Amal and Hezbollah contend that the judge has “politicized” the investigation.
• Mikati’s comments followed the resignation at 1 p.m. today of Information Minister George Kurdahi, whose remarks about Saudi involvement in the war in Yemen precipitated a diplomatic crisis between Lebanon and several Gulf states when they were aired in late October. Mikati had repeatedly asked Kurdahi, who is part of the Hezbollah-aligned Marada movement, to act in the interests of Lebanon, but never explicitly called for his resignation. News on Thursday evening that Kurdahi would step down imminently sparked speculation on the possibility of an agreement having been reached between Lebanon’s political groups that the resignation would come in exchange for the Supreme Council being assigned to deal with MPs and ministers implicated in the port probe, thereby resolving the dispute that has effectively suspended cabinet sessions.