“Free Patriotic Movement” leader, MP Gebran Bassil, held this Sunday afternoon a press conference, dwelling on the most recent developments in the country.

MP Bassil considered that there are no words of consolation to the families of the victims of the Beirut port blast, except when the truth is revealed.

“A new judge has been appointed, and this is an opportunity to speed-up the file and correct many judicial errors in this dossier,” Bassil said.

The FPM leader criticized the imprisonment of some employees under the pretext of “job negligence”, while those accused of “premeditated murder” are outside prison.

Bassil also criticized those calling for an “international investigation”, saying that this would lead to an unknown destination.

“We want a bold, clean and effective judiciary,” Bassil underscored.

Commenting on the impasse in forming the government, he stressed that other political parties want the Free Patriotic Movement to participate in the new government, but on their own terms, and then accuse the party of obstructing the formation.

“We do not want to participate! Is it by force?” Bassil asked.

“We accept any solution that respects the charter, abides by the constitution and protects rights, but they understood our indulgence as weakness and the silence about the daily abuse as a defeat,” he corroborated.

Bassil accused some politicians of wearing “guardianship” attire, showing superiority and violating the rights and dignity of others, while stressing that “our internal unity protects us from external attacks.”

The MP revealed that some political factions are working to keep President Aoun’s mandate without forming a government, even if the country collapses, just because they want President Michel Aoun to step down.

“Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is unable to undertake reforms, so we did not nominate him…Now we have an interest in forming a government and he has to assume responsibility with the President of the Republic after he fled in October 2019,” Bassil said.

He considered that the failure to form the government is due to two reasons, the first is internal, and the second is external.

Regarding the interference of the President in the government formation, Bassil said that “the President of the Republic is clearly a partner to the PM-designate in forming the government.”

Bassil emphasized that neither President Aoun nor the Free Patriotic Movement asked for a “blocking third”.

Regarding the American sanctions against him, the MP said, “Whoever considers me part of the system, I remind him that I have been subjected to unjust sanctions and placed on the OFAC list, and if I had a penny, a share, or a property anywhere abroad, it would have been revealed and the whole nation would have known!”