Finance minister Mohamad Safadi declares political divorce with former PM Saad Hariri

Finance Minister Mohamad Safadi declared on Wednesday political divorce with his previous ally and current opponent, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Safadi slammed in a statement Hariri’s “inciting remarks” against Premier Najib Miqati and himself, and warned these statements “will provoke people against each other in Tripoli and other areas.”

“We had hoped that Hariri would have attended the parliament sessions to grant cabinet confidence instead of talking about in Paris through statements that don’t reflect his position,” he went on to say.

“Hariri did not have to resort to inciting sectarian instincts in order to wage a campaign against Miqati and Safadi,” the finance minister pointed out. “Through such practices, he is tarnishing the legacy of his father all for uncovering the truth behind his assassination,” he remarked.

“Hariri did not present an opposition plan to topple the government because he wants to do so through street action and not through parliament,” Safadi emphasized.

“It’s unfortunate that Hariri had made such offensive statements against Miqati and Safadi. We can overlook personal insults, but we will not allow Tripoli’s dignity to be attacked,” the statement said. “Tripoli doesn’t belong to anyone or the Sunni sect,” it declared. “Just as no one is greater than his country, no one is greater than their sect,” it stressed.

“The history of Sunni leaders has never witnessed such remarks of incitement because the Sunnis don’t discriminate against others,” Safadi pointed out. “Lebanon is in need of asserting its national unity through words and actions and not base rhetoric that takes it several steps back,” he went on to say.