Hariri's response to MPs' remarks before obtaining votes of confidence: The government's decision is to work, work and work

• Published date: 16 February 2019
• Publication title: Arab News Service

16 February 2019 (National News Agency) The third government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri received the Parliament's confidence last evening in a late-night vote on the third day of discussions on the policy statement, PM Hariri's Press Office indicated today.

Just before voting, through which it obtained 111 votes of confidence, PM Saad Hariri responded to deputies' remarks during the debate.

In this context, Hariri said: "It is beneficial to build the government's response on the positive remarks expressed in the interventions of the MPs, especially the interventions of the last session. I think that the quiet and serious talk reaches the Lebanese better than the tensed talk that deviates from the principles of communication between the Lebanese and between the officials in particular. In all cases, it is my duty and the duty of the government to hear all statements, based on our respect for parliament and our commitment to our democratic system.

We undoubtedly heard good remarks from our fellow MPs that we must take into consideration, especially those that reflect the spirit of national consensus and the importance of solidarity to implement the economic reform program. But, there are other remarks that made me feel that some colleagues entered Parliament with their parties yesterday and that we alone have been in power for the last fifteen years without any partners or ministers.

No one is saying that the administration is fine, and we all see that the squander in electricity is the mother of all misfortunes. This is a fact known by every Lebanese citizen. We hear a lot about the reasons behind squander, corruption, delaying projects, etc...All these are exaggerated. During the past years the country paid the cost of wars, struggles, disruptions, chaos, instability and the cost of making the demand of sects prevail over the rights of the state. Not a single year has passed without problems and crises, and we talk as if the institutions worked regularly, as if the parliamentary elections were held on time, as if the presidential election was not delayed for two years and as if the governments were formed immediately. If we want to make a simple calculation, we will find that it took three or four years to accomplish all this. Do you think that it has no price?

Just for the sake of comparison, in 2010, we had an 8% growth, which means that if we did not have disagreements as political parties, our Gross Domestic Product would have been of 75 billion today...