Aoun’s statements on Gibran Tueni refuted
In an interview with the Voice of Lebanon radio station Tuesday, MP Boutros Harb criticized Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun’s statements on slain journalist and former MP Gibran Tueni, saying they were inexcusable and unbecoming of politicians. “We should not offend people who were martyred for the sake of Lebanon,” Harb said.
“I had hoped we would respect the martyrs and keep them away from the elections,” he said.
Harb also said discussion channels should remain open in the period prior to the elections, adding that electoral lists in some districts had to be concluded before April 7, which was the deadline for announcing candidates, while others had more time to finalize their lists. Harb noted that April 7 was a very important date, before which agreements on candidate names and alliances should be reached so as the public would have ample time to make its decision.
Harb urged the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb party to agree on the nomination of one candidate in the Batroun district and announce it prior to April 7, in order for the candidate to have enough time to prepare for the elections in the district. The March 14 alliance “urgently needed to hold an expanded meeting, which I think would be held next week,” he said.