Mashnouq says sectarian tit-for-tat abductions obstruct parliamentary polls

Minister of Interior Nouhad al-Mashnouq said Monday that he had accomplished his mission regarding the preparations for the parliamentary polls stressing that his ministry is ready for staging the elections.

"It is true that I have completed all necessary steps for the elections, however I do not guarantee that the polls will be staged on time and I have cautioned the cabinet about that," al-Mashnouq said.

In an interview with Annahar daily, the minister pointed out that staging the polls will require a political decision taken by the cabinet and the parliament as well.

While As-Safir daily quoted the same minister as saying that "it is the first time since 25 years that citizens are being kidnapped according to their sects, and this detail should not pass unnoticed."

On the other side, Speaker of the House Nabih Berri stated that the cabinet should assume its responsibility and justify why the polls cannot be staged.

"Iraq has staged elections although the situation there is worse than Lebanon," Berri was quoted by his visitors as saying.

The speaker also reiterated his rejection to the parliament's term extension.

Asked about the magic stick which will resolve the current impasse, Berri responded that the elections might be the magic stick which will identify all political weights mainly in the Christian ones.

"Maybe the elections will be the breakthrough of this political bottleneck which will highlight the presidential polls to start a new day," Berri concluded.