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Baroud to Investigate Claims of Municipalities” Interference in Elections
Interior Minister Ziad Baroud on Tuesday promised to launch an investigation into reports that some municipalities have been interfering in the electoral process.
"It is unacceptable to use municipalities or to abuse one”s post (for electoral purposes) or to pressure employees or offer services in return for allegiances," Baroud said at a joint press conference with Telecoms Minister Gebran Bassil.
"I have taken the necessary measures to investigate the matter," he added.
Baroud”s comments came a day after MP Michel Aoun said that some municipalities have been using the workplace for electoral campaigning.
Baroud said the press conference was part of coordination efforts between the interior and telecoms ministries to confront "more than one challenge on the level of security" on June 7.
On electricity, Baroud said 75 percent of polling stations have been equipped with alternative sources of power. The interior ministry is cooperating with EDL to complete the remaining 25 percent before the elections, he added.
For his part, Bassil said the telecoms ministry has already expanded telecommunication networks to absorb an additional 800,000 subscribers in anticipation of any emergency.
"Thousands of Lebanese expatriates will be arriving in Lebanon for the elections and they will need mobile phone lines… Land lines can handle the minimum pressure but the mobile phone network is more delicate because network expansion is not complete," he said.