I will Not Dine with People who Practice Slander in Media against Me
MP Michel Aoun said Wednesday he refuses to "share a meal" with those who have been waging a defamation campaign in the media against him and questioned the reasoning behind calls for the deferral of the government formation till after Ramadan.
Speaking after his parliamentary bloc”s weekly meeting, Aoun also accused the judiciary of involvement in "state corruption" stating the Barouk case as proof.
Asked about premier-designate Saad Hariri”s invitation to dinner, Aoun replied: "I have a principle. You all remember that I rejected (MP) Walid Jumblat”s invitation to dinner because he was attacking our supporters. How can I possible accept the invitation of someone who has been personally attacking me and has been practicing defamation in the media?"
"So please allow me, I will not share a meal with them," he said.
Aoun said that the public prosecution”s "failure to take action in the telecoms ministry”s scandals means that the judiciary is complicit with state corruption and the Barouk case is proof to that."
He said his opponents have been waging "a major war in the media against the Free Patriotic Movement because they do not consider us fit to join a government."
"It is because we are not troublemakers and cannot accept with the existing corruption in the state”s structure nor can we accept the mafia organization."
On the government, Aoun questioned the reasoning behind suggestions to postpone deliberations till after Ramadan.
"Why are they speaking about deferring the government till after Ramadan? In Lebanon, we all work during Ramadan, Muslims and Christians. But it is known who of our partners forming the cabinet does not work during this month."
He also voiced shock that some have linked his criticism of President Michel Suleiman to the Roumieh prison breakout. "What happened in Roumieh is not the responsibility of the guard, but it is a higher responsibility."
He described the security forces to be "in bad shape, both in terms of hierarchy and in prisoners” condition."