halange bloc MP Sami Gemayel on Thursday announced that he withholds confidence from Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s government, during the third round of parliamentary debate over the government’s policies. 

“We withhold confidence from this government and this is our democratic duty and everyone must shoulder their responsibilities,” Gemayel said.

Addressing Hizbullah MPs who had addressed parliament before him, Gemayel said: “Your threats and rhetoric are unacceptable and they will not help build the state.”

Turning to the situation on the Lebanese-Syrian border, the MP said: “The Lebanese state is being violated and the Lebanese people are being killed, while the army has not taken any action to defend them.”

“What kind of state does not defend its borders?” Gemayel wondered, calling for abolishing the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council.

Tackling the latest hike in oil prices, Gemayel noted that “the price of oil has dropped globally, while the cost here has risen 15 percent.”“The government is considering how to grant a minister $400 million to compensate the closure of his stone-crushing plant,” the lawmaker said, referring to State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Nicolas Fattoush without naming him. [Naharnet]