During a lunch banquet, held yesterday with several media representatives, the president of the parliament, Mr. Nabih Berreh, said the constitutional modifications would reinforce the tripartite power.
About the parliament dissolution, Berreh said the president of the Republic could propose it on the Cabinet, if he was elected directly by people. But according to the principles, it is the person who elects deputies that has the right to cease their function, i.e. in Lebanon, the Lebanese people.
Berreh estimated that the real purpose of these modifications was to give the cabinet more legislative power, while the last parliament issued 463 law, with no bill set forward by the government.
He finally wondered how could a parliament have a fixed term, since in democratic regimes, nothing would be imposed on the legislative power.
During popular and cultural meeting held in Baalbeck, the Minister of National Defense, Mr.Mohsen Dalloul declared that the opposition must have an alternative program.
There are many positive points, but people must work together, and by solidarity they would make pressure on the government. Dalloul added that development achieved couldn't be denied. He also called for an honest administration, and said councils and funds were not working correctly.
Rejecting the American report which stated that Lebanon still cultivating drugs and having drug traffic, Dalloul said that he represents this area, and he knew it included nothing of the sort.
He then supported the Lebanese University unity, and asked to have an Agriculture Faculty in the Bekaa.
The Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, celebrated yesterday the holy mass in Bkerkeh, and delivered a sermon, in which he said the Great Jubilee was the occasion to repent, and have a new way of life, along with other people, in order to let peace, understanding, solidarity and love take over everything. Sfeir added this wasn't the case in Lebanon, where officials are accusing each other, and people live in absolute misery, pointing out that without social justice, there wouldn't be a normal society.
Sfeir then received a delegation of Byblos inhabitants, headed by deputy John Hawwatt, the Cheque and Poland ambassador and charge d'affairs in Beirut, Messers peter Skalnyk and Henric Pyasyzijk.
The police forces have found, two days ago, the body of Raafat Soleiman, burnt with acid, within 15 meters of Ghosta's main road. And then the crime was replayed by the charged Mohammed Harmouch, at Farid Moussali's office, in jounieh.
It was known that cops did arrest the son of Moussali, Fouad, for repainting the office in order to hide the crime evidences. Soleiman's wife, Wafa, was then released, while his family refused to receive the body, reaffirmed his innocence and that the power was hiding facts. Thus, they made a symbolic funeral of Raafat, within the village of Bidnayel, and listened to the press conference, in which lawyer Hussein Soleiman (Haydar) first spoke, exposing the different phases and facts of the case. Then, Mr. Ghassan Soleiman delivered a speech saying that Raafat didn't know Farid Moussali before September 25th. It seemed that Moussali has chosen Soleiman as his victim to turn off investigations about the falsifying operation he (Moussali) has done, along with Harmouch and Tayyar.
Then, Raafat was killed, and police forces knew that since October 1st, when Toni Tayyar was arrested and admitted killing Soleiman, who's completely innocent.
The Minister of Transport, Mr. Omar Mesqawi held yesterday his weekly conference in Tripoli, declaring the President of the Republic had the right to propose modifying the constitution, and the country would discuss the issue with him, in order to have modern state.
He then prompted the president to indicate the weaknesses which occurred during his 7 years period. He noted that only Justice should settle the murder of Soleiman, and estimated that if human rights were violated in Lebanon, the confidence in Lebanon would be broken; the government, however, is willing to separate Justice and Administration from politics.
He hoped the conference of Lebanon Friends would help recover the South and West Bekaa, for otherwise, the crisis would be too long and no settlement would then fit again.
Miscellaneous ...
*The parliamentary committee on Public Works and hydroelectric resources handled, two days ago, all electricity problems, including wrong bills , privatizing plans, and citizens complains along with the concerned Minister, Mr. Elie Hobeiqa who promised to publish his project of privatizing bill collections.
*The Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Chawqi Fakhoury declared yesterday there wouldn't be a solution for social and economic problems but through the reinforcement of agriculture so that people would stay in the countryside.
*The Minister of State for Financing Affairs, Mr. Fouad Assanyoura, handled with the general secretary of High Lebanese-Syrian Council, Mr. Nasri El-Khoury economic and finance relations between both countries.
*The economic report, issued by Audi Bank, on the third semester of 1996, showed an increase of 11,5% in the general domestic debt, and of 276 million dollars in currency deposits.
Lebanon won over the Georgian team ( 3-2 ) for the second time in a match played yesterday at Bourj Hammoud local stadium, with all goals scored in the first half.
The 13th period of Lebanese football championship starts today at 14:15, with 3 matches:
1-Racing v/s Assalam (at Saida local stadium)
2-El-Hekmeh v/s Attadamoun-Tyre (at Assafa stadium)
3-Arryada waladab v/s Al-Aka-Aley (At Tripoli local stadium).
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