Sayyed Nasrallah Announces Hezbollah Electoral Platform: Combating Corruption Priority

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah sounded alarm on Wednesday over Lebanon’s financial and social situation, stressing that Hezbollah considers combating corruption a priority in the upcoming period which follows the parliamentary elections.

In a televised address via Al-Manar, Sayyed Nasrallah announced the resistance party’s electoral platform for the coming mandate of the parliament, vowing that members of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, Loyalty to Resistance, will tackle several urgent issues upon their election in May 6.

His eminence said that he will follow up countering corruption personally, stressing that Hezbollah is committed to keep the resistance party uninvolved in any corruption process.

Sayyed Nasrallah said that the coming elections are a real opportunity to reproduce a new national authority in the country.

Tackling Rome II Conference, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that Hezbollah doesn’t oppose any bid to fund and support the Lebanese Army.

However, his eminence noted that the conference won’t offer support through aid but through loans, stressing that such issues should be tackled at the parliament and the cabinet rather than neglecting it and then imposing it and raising the public debt.

Reforms

Sayyed Nasrallah elaborated on issues which members of Loyalty to Resistance will focus on upon their election, stressing that they will work to preserve national coexistence and promote dialogue.

His eminence vowed that Hezbollah’s future lawmakers will “work to secure political and administrative reform through amending the current electoral law and raising the voting age.”

Sayyed Nasrallah said that Hezbollah’s goal behind taking part in the legislative life is to “honestly represent our people” at the parliament.

Talking about issues that Hezbollah lawmakers will work to achieve, Sayyed Nasrallah called for establishing a new Ministry of Planning, stressing that such ministry would help both the parliament and other ministries.

In the same context, Sayyed Nasrallah said that Hezbollah lawmakers will no more agree on any future projects and contracts unless they undergo tendering process.

Financial, Social Situation in Danger

Meanwhile, Sayyed Nasrallah said that Lebanon’s financial and social situation is in danger, noting that such danger poses an existential threat to the country and the state.

His eminence announced that Hezbollah will form a committee which is tasked with countering corruption and waste of public money, stressing that the resistance party is committed to stay clean and uninvolved in any corruption process.

In this context, he called anyone who questions Hezbollah’s cleanliness to present any document that proves such claims, announcing that Sayyed Nasrallah himself will follow the anti-corruption campaign.

Hezbollah S.G. noted that the resistance party will face many challenges while combating corruption, including “new hostilities” with many Lebanese factions. However, he stressed that Hezbollah is “keen to preserve the integrity” of its path.

Meanwhile, Sayyed Nasrallah touched upon different issues which Hezbollah’s lawmakers will tackle in their electoral platform including drug war, electricity shortage, communication sector, public education, waste crisis, protecting women’s rights, protecting the family as an association, sewerage improvement projects and taxes.

Elections and Alliances

Before getting into the part regarding Hezbollah’s alliances during parliamentary elections, Sayyed Nasrallah warned that the Syrian refugees crisis poses heavy burden for Lebanon, calling on Syrian refugees to return to their towns and villages ass many areas across the crisis-hit country have become safe now.

Turning into the elections, Sayyed Nasrallah said that Hezbollah officials held many meetings with several allies regarding the formation of the electoral lists, reiterating that Hezbollah’s firmest alliance is with Speaker Nabih Berri’s political party, Amal Movement.

In this regard, Hezbollah S.G. dismissed claims that the resistance party had pressured some allies to withdraw from the parliamentary race in favor of other allies.

“Hezbollah nominated only its candidates. We haven’t imposed any candidate on any of our allies,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.

Some allies wanted Hezbollah to pressures other allies, his eminence said, noting that Hezbollah can’t play this role.

“Regarding alliances, we did what we could do and every political faction is free to take its own decisions.”

“This (electoral) law is an opportunity for better representation, something which would pave the way for more of our friends and allies to get into the parliament.”

Sayyed Nasrallah meanwhile, called on some allies to agree with each other on alliances, warning that disagreements lead to failure.

“My message to our allies is to be modest, understand each other and to offer some concessions.”

Concerning the relation between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement(FPM), Sayyed Nasrallah said there have been continuous contacts and the strategic relationship is still ongoing.

“We might disagree on some issues (with FPM) but it’s normal… After all we are not one party.”

On the other hand, Sayyed Nasrallah firmly denied he had said in previous address that the rival lists in Baalbeck-Hermel district are lists of ISIL and Nusra Takfiri fronts, noting that these lists include candidates of our friends.

“But yes, there are some candidates of the rival lists who belong to factions that had supported these terrorist groups, this is what I have said. Anyway, the people of Baalbek and Hermel will decide who will represent them.”

Defense Strategy, Rome II Conference

Sayyed Nasrallah announced on the other hand, that Hezbollah has no reservations over a call by President Michel Aoun to hold talks about the country’s defense strategy following the parliamentary elections.

“President Aoun has the right to call for such talks, and we have no reservations over such call.”

Concerning Rome II Conference, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that Hezbollah doesn’t oppose any measure that offers aid in a bid to fund and support the Lebanese Army.

However, he warned that Rome II Conference doesn’t offer support to the army as part of an aid but rather such support takes the form of loans, something which will increase the public debt in Lebanon.

“This issue needs more consultations at the parliament and the cabinet,” Sayyed Nasrallah stressed.