President of the National Dialogue Party, MP Fouad Makhzoumi, visited the Grand Mufti of the Republic, His Eminence Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, at Dar Al-Fatwa, accompanied by Engineer Ibrahim Zaidan, Executive Deputy Chairman of the Party’s Administrative Board; Samer Safah, Director General of the Makhzoumi Foundation; and Marwan Sabban, Director of Communications. They discussed matters related to Dar Al-Fatwa and the general situation in the country.
Makhzoumi said the visit aimed to assess the situation in light of the crises facing the country, particularly those concerning electricity and vaccines. He asked His Eminence to urge Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab to reactivate the work of the caretaker government, even to a limited extent, given the country’s economic, health, and social conditions.
He added that, in November 1979, the State Council had issued Decision No. 341/79, affirming the need for a caretaker government to exercise its powers and manage state affairs, as a vacuum in public administration cannot be allowed. He noted that several important obligations required the caretaker government to resume its work, including the state budget and the by-elections.
Regarding electricity, Makhzoumi described the previous day’s parliamentary committee proceedings, during which a US$200 million advance to Électricité du Liban (EDL) was approved, as a “farce.” He considered that political forces disagreed over government formation but united when their own interests were at stake, striking deals as usual.
Makhzoumi stressed that forming a government was now an urgent necessity. He rejected suggestions that the country could continue operating under a caretaker government, arguing that the international community could not engage with Lebanon in the absence of an effective government. He insisted that the government must be composed entirely of independent figures, from the Prime Minister to every minister, with no representatives affiliated with the establishment that had governed the country from 1995 to the present.
Makhzoumi noted that Lebanon’s economic, living, and health conditions had deteriorated severely. He said the situation surrounding COVID-19 vaccines, including reports of vaccines being diverted to political groups outside the official platform, was clear evidence of this deterioration. He also expressed surprise that companies were being allowed to purchase vaccines at seven times their actual price, while Lebanese citizens were required to pay for them in dollars.
He called on political forces to set aside their differences and focus on rescuing the country and helping it overcome its crises.
Makhzoumi concluded by saying: “From this platform and this esteemed house, we hope that the coming period will be better. We extend our greetings to the Lebanese people on the occasion of Holy Easter and the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan.”
