Najjar says countdown of Special Tribunal started
Minister of Justice Ibrahim Najjar told Future News on Friday that the countdown of the Special Tribunal into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri had started, and all measures taken were being announced to the public. He added, “Efforts are still underway to ratify the law of due process.”
Najjar noted that the “obstructing third” veto power, currently in the hands of the opposition, would negatively affect any minor decision taken, warning that these repercussions would be magnified concerning any important decisions taken. He said that the ministers of the opposition were unlikely to obstruct the approval of the 2009 draft budget or to instigate tensions, because they had previously agreed with Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah on the budget.
On the formation of a neutral bloc in the upcoming parliamentary elections, Najjar supported MP Michel al-Murr’s speech in considering the principles of democracy and giving the opportunity to any candidate to choose his bloc affiliations, concluding he personally did not reject such a bloc.