The newspaper "Al-Liwaa" reported: Political and official activity will resume between the end of the Easter holiday for the Christian sects following the Western calendar (Catholic sects) and the start of the Easter holiday for the Christian sects following the Eastern calendar (Orthodox sects) from Friday, April 22nd until Monday, April 25th, as part of tracking the government's agenda. This comes less than a month before the commencement of the voting process, amid affirmations from senior officials—from the presidency to the Ministry of Interior, passing through the prime minister's office—that the process will take place on schedule, all of which is dependent on avoid unexpected surprises.
Although disagreements, despite the pressure of electoral interests for convergence or understanding, continue to obstruct judicial formations even partially due to the lack of regard for sectarian balances, or the execution of some necessary appointments, or the implementation of beneficial steps to rescue the academic year at the Lebanese University, the path related to major issues, such as negotiation with the International Monetary Fund, or following up on the thaw in Lebanon's relations with Gulf countries persists with information about international and Arab interest in the electoral process, which will have significant implications for Lebanon's future situation.
While French President Emmanuel Macron is preoccupied with the presidential elections, with a pivotal round on the 24th against his right-wing competitor Le Pen, information indicates a French eagerness to sign a work agreement with the International Monetary Fund to ensure financial and monetary stability in the country, awaiting the political course after the elections.
The crises continue to accumulate and explode, the latest of which is the return to the bread crisis. Informed sources in the Ministry of Economy stated that there will be no bread today in the bakeries and that the subsidized flour will last no more than early May, pointing out that in the case of non-subsidized flour, as encouraged by the International Monetary Fund, a bundle of bread will cost 33,000 Lebanese Lira.
On another front, regarding the investigation into the Beirut port explosion, a legal reference expressed belief that the mission of the investigative judge in the Beirut port explosion, Judge Tarek Bitar, has come to an unknown end for the time being, which may be final or extend to the next term, with the insistence on obstructing the issuance of the decree to form the Supreme Court of Cassation at present, thereby maintaining the paralysis in the investigation due to the lack of a legal quorum for the committee, in response to the repeated requests for recusal from deputies and politicians implicated in the case.
The reference noticed that there is an alignment among the pillars of power to subjugate the judiciary or to utilize it to serve their interests, as happened in more than one recent incident and case, and this approach continues, with attempts to pressure the Higher Judicial Council persisting in order to force its officials to resign, despite the dire consequences of this deteriorating trend on the credibility of the state and citizens' affairs as well as the public interest.
The reference pointed to a game of role distribution mastered by the pillars of power, who take turns from their positions to disrupt and obstruct the work of the judicial authority based on each one's interests in this regard, contrary to all their claims of concern for the independence of the judicial authority and the rejection of all forms of political interference and pressure on the judiciary.
It is pointed out that President Michel Aoun, at the behest of his political team, has withheld the decree for judicial formations in the presidential drawer for over two years, because the formations contained therein do not align with his desires or reflect his aspirations to appoint allies in critical judicial positions that hold influence and significant effectiveness in the political movement. This presidential action has led to a partial disruption of judicial authority's effectiveness and paralyzed its work.
The matter does not stop there; it extends to the misuse of Judge Ghada Aoun's position to fabricate judicial files against opponents of the current presidency, including politicians, employees, bankers, and others, attempting to act against them and to distort their reputations unjustly and falsely, which has caused severe damage to the reputation of the Lebanese judiciary, while avoiding the prosecution of any involved member of the current administration in cases of corruption and embezzlement of public funds in electricity, among other matters.
Most surprisingly, the Minister of Justice associated with Aoun continued the scheme by insisting on referring the draft law for the independence of the judicial authority to the Administration and Justice Committee for study, after it was proposed for a decision before the previous session of Parliament, under the pretense of not being familiar with it, despite everyone knowing that the project has been thoroughly studied and submitted to the council, and that the former Minister of Justice studied it in detail and spent a long time working on it and making amendments to it.
The legal reference considers that the refusal of the Minister of Finance, Youssef Khalil, to sign the decree to form the Supreme Court of Cassation explicitly expresses the insistence of the Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, and Hezbollah on preventing the investigative judge in the case of the Beirut port explosion, Judge Tarek Bitar, from resuming his mission and continuing to obstruct the investigation file entirely until further notice. This follows a series of obstructive practices and behaviors, including explicit threats, culminating in the disruption of Cabinet sessions for three months, aiming to remove Judge Tarek Bitar from the mentioned file.
In parliamentary news, the joint parliamentary committees will convene today to continue discussing the Capital Control Law from the perspective of criticisms directed at it, while ensuring the protection of depositors' rights, according to intersecting parliamentary sources.
In the context of the Holy Week and the Easter holiday, alongside the fiery message from Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi and his sermon resembling the message, and the ramping up of election campaigns among political forces over the holiday, Lebanon lived through its crises as if nothing had happened, amid concerns that the proposed solutions to the economic crisis might come at the expense of what remains of the depositors' funds.
The joint parliamentary committees will reconvene today, Tuesday, to continue discussing the Capital Control Law in an atmosphere that does not indicate potential resolutions to the disputes and the adoption of its provisions in the session. Meanwhile, information circulated regarding a visit that Prime Minister Najib Mikati is likely to make to Saudi Arabia before Eid al-Fitr, followed by a tour in several Gulf states starting with a visit to Kuwait. Notably, the Kuwaiti newspaper "Al-Qabas" reported yesterday that Kuwait is set to resume issuing visas for Lebanese citizens, beginning with commercial and governmental visas, followed by work, family, tourism, and family reunion visas.
According to information, Mikati will meet a number of Saudi officials to discuss the development of bilateral relations and the agenda for Saudi-French humanitarian assistance to Lebanon to support six sectors within the country. Based on the positions of parliamentary blocs, there are numerous articles in the government's Capital Control Law that face widespread objections and need fundamental amendments, particularly regarding depositors' rights and the establishment of a special body that decides on all transfers and withdrawals and possesses extraordinary powers exceeding those of any legislative or governmental body, even though its ultimate reference is the Cabinet. This has led some blocs to request modifications to its powers and operational mechanisms, suggesting that the discussion about the project may not be resolved in today's session and that multiple sessions might be held, indicating a likelihood of no legislative session during the period leading up to the parliamentary elections, potentially extending matters beyond the elections and passing the burden to the next new parliament.
In light of the position regarding depositors' rights, a recent session of the Cabinet did not succeed in objecting from the duo of Amal and Hezbollah ministers, as well as their reservations on the draft law for government borrowing from the central bank, which was, therefore, referred to Parliament for study and approval. Minister of Culture, Mohamed Wissam Mortada, clarified to "Al-Liwaa" that the reason for the objection or reservation is "that the project affects the remaining portion of depositors' funds, as the source of borrowing is the mandatory reserves of banks, i.e., the depositors' money." He stated that this is a principled position that we have emphasized both in the last session and in previous ones, hence we also objected to the referral of the project to Parliament. To be fair, most ministers believe our observations are valid. When asked whether he believes that Parliament will adopt the project as is or if modifications will be made, Minister Mortada replied: "I believe the Parliament will 'dissect' the project and it will not pass as sent by the government... the decision ultimately lies with the parliament."
Easter Sermon and Aoun's Position
The Easter message delivered by the Patriarch last Saturday, followed by his sermon on Sunday, remained a focal point in political events, in which he outlined a roadmap for salvation and a path for those Lebanese who desire it, urging participation in the elections because "Lebanon today and every day needs a national parliamentary majority, sovereign, independent, and struggling, that believes in the uniqueness of this homeland, the legitimate state, constitutional institutions, and the Lebanese Army as the sole reference for arms and security, along with unity in political and military decision-making." Patriarch Al-Rahi affirmed in the Easter message: "We are the change movement, the movement of freedom and sovereignty in this East; we must put an end to the status quo that the Lebanese people are suffering from and that marginalizes the legitimate state and scatters its unity among security city-states, judicial city-states, party city-states, sectarian city-states, and foreign city-states."
He added: "We wager with citizens of goodwill on holding the parliamentary elections on schedule, followed by presidential elections. This is an opportunity for change. If the people do not wake up to the seriousness of the phase and choose the capable forces to defend the entity and identity of Lebanon, fulfill their obligations to the martyrs of the Lebanese cause, and restore Lebanon's Arab and international relations, then this same people bears, not the political system, the responsibility for the great collapse. It is fortunate for Lebanon that change still remains politically possible; do not disrupt, O Lebanese, this last civilized and peaceful means." He indicated that the results of the parliamentary elections depend on participation. There are no guaranteed losers or winners. Lebanon needs today and every day a national parliamentary majority, sovereign, independent, and struggling, with a belief in the uniqueness of this homeland, the legitimate state, constitutional institutions, and the Lebanese Army as the sole reference for arms and security, along with unity in political and military decision-making.
The major danger lies in misleading the Lebanese people into voting for a parliamentary majority that does not resemble them, does not align with their ambitions, and cannot solve their crises, thus increasing their isolation and collapse.
President Michel Aoun attended the Easter Mass in Bkerke and held a meeting with the Patriarch, after which he stated that the parliamentary elections will take place on schedule and that preparations for them are ready. He considered "that the agreement with the International Monetary Fund is one of the positive matters that have occurred recently and may represent the beginning of Lebanon's exit from the abyss under which it is currently suffering, along with the return of Arab countries to it, as well as its natural sovereignty, as it once was, without any effort." In response to a question, he stated that those obstructing the appointment of heads of cassation courts are known, as well as those obstructing the investigation into the Beirut port explosion, and that these individuals halted the Cabinet.
Fiery Electoral Campaigns
The political forces exchanged high-level statements during the announcement of electoral lists or programs over the past two days, with the latest being yesterday's statement by the head of the "Democratic Gathering" bloc, MP Taymour Jumblatt, in a message addressing what he referred to as the "corrupt presidency and its more corrupt ally," stating that "the homeland is not for division." During a tour in the Chouf area, he reaffirmed the continuation of the struggle to reclaim the country from those who destroyed it, referring to the "darkness presidency" team, and the ongoing fight to restore the homeland to the free and the youth to achieve their ambitions for the survival of Lebanon.
Notably, in the electoral arena, factions of the October 17 movement continued to generate lists from Beirut I, such as the "National" list, which includes former MP Paula Yacoubian and other legal and civil figures who participated in the October Movement and its aftermath. Similarly, in the Shouf-Aley region, the "United for Change" list includes well-known media and academic personalities.
In the context of actions detrimental to the electoral process, the "Beirut Faces" list was vandalized in the commercial district, which carried the images and slogans of the list. Member of the list, lawyer Majid Damascusiyah, filed a criminal complaint against unidentified individuals at the Central Beirut police station and anyone who may come to light in the investigation, stating that this constitutes incitement to sectarian strife and a threat to public order. The security forces have begun taking action based on a directive from the Public Prosecution in Beirut.
The media office of the list condemned the attack carried out by certain elements aimed at "intimidation and terror," addressing the security and judicial authorities to expedite investigations to unveil the assailants. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs took responsibility for the actions of the Lebanese Consul in Sydney, stating in a statement that "the General Consulate in Sydney implemented the ministry's instructions."
Meanwhile, the head of the "Loyalty to the Resistance" bloc, MP Mohammed Raad, declared yesterday, "We want stability for our country, and we provide proof after proof that stability is forged by resistance. Media sometimes plays a misleading game in the country, claiming that Lebanon will remain in a state of war and transition from one war to another. We say to them: No one in the country wants war; we want peace more than anyone else, and we are keen on security and stability because we want our country to become a productive, capable, and influential nation in the region, which cannot be achieved unless its status is stable and it has productive capabilities and supportive policies to provide all that the country needs and what it cannot do it can exchange with other countries."
The political bureau of the Amal Movement stated that "opening the door for a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund necessitates the actual commencement of an economic and social recovery plan and the preparation of reform proposals. The Parliament has confirmed its readiness to accompany these efforts. Any Capital Control project must prioritize the protection of depositors' rights and not undermine them." The political bureau expressed its discontent with "the state of confusion prevailing in the country due to the absence of a strategic vision from the government and the inability to devise joint working mechanisms between ministries to escape the tunnel of ongoing crises stemming from policies of patchwork in all fields. The economic and living crisis continues to strike the livelihood of people and their dignity, and none of the governmental decisions have been effectively implemented to deter traders or monopolists."
Contextually, Deputy Chairman of the Higher Shiite Islamic Council Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib called for "wide participation in the elections as a testament to national partnership and a fulfillment of national duty, and secondly, as an expression of their opinions in this specific circumstance, supporting this path and proving to the world that this path—the path of resistance, the path of Imam Musa Sadr, and the path of martyrdom—is the path to building the state, and voting in favor of these constants without falling into or submitting to complacency regarding this entitlement." MP Talal Arslan clarified: "We are on the Mountain list, and after the elections, we will form a bloc for southern Mount Lebanon with the winners, which will be your voice in Parliament reflecting your aspirations for the next phase."
In a development tied to internal friction, the American Ambassador in Beirut, Dorothy Shea, commemorated the 39th anniversary of the bombing of the US Embassy in Ain Al-Mreisseh. The ambassador stated: "Despite the passing years, we will never forget our fallen colleagues. The United States has maintained its resolve to seek justice for the victims. We are resisting the negative impacts of terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, which continues to seek to drive a wedge between us. But we will not back down. We will continue to strengthen the ties between our countries and our peoples, particularly in these difficult times, as we seek to help the Lebanese emerge from the current economic crisis so that they can enjoy a brighter future."
### Waste Collection Disrupted
On the waste collection front, the phenomenon of waste remaining in containers and on the ground has worsened. "Al-Liwaa" learned late at night that the "Ramco" company halted its operations due to the absence of security forces and the municipal guard and the return of "attacks" in large numbers yesterday after their absence on Sunday. Consequently, waste transport and collection efforts have stopped, pending a meeting at 1 PM today at the Ministry of Interior to make appropriate decisions regarding this issue.
Beirut circles expressed their dissatisfaction with the intensification of this phenomenon, questioning whether the state and its security apparatus would resolve the situation, or whether "the attackers" and their supporters will have the last word. It has been warned that "digging through" the waste has become a job, with the "attackers" forming an organized army with mechanisms and sorting points and receiving cover from forces of facts in the vicinity of landfill areas.
### Covid-19 Update
On the health front, the Ministry of Public Health announced in its daily report recording "72 new cases of the coronavirus, raising the total confirmed cases to 1,095,685, as well as recording 3 deaths."
