DAILY SCOPE: Eyes on Orange Street Today...Civil Movement Wins Yesterday’s Round

Local Editor

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES

AS-SAFIR:

Aoun Tests Street Today

Demonstrations Worry Security Council

AL-AKHBAR:

Popular Movement Grows: "We Want Accountability" Stops Parking Meters

AN-NAHAR:

Aoun on Eve of Demonstration: Remove False Republic

Movement Fever, from "Parkmeters" to Presidency

AL-JOMHOURIA:

Street Movement Snowballs

AL-BINAA:

Migrant Crisis and Terrorism Knock on West's Doors

Lebanese dailies on Friday focused mainly on the FPM Rally to take place today under the slogan "Only Elections Can Clean", which will serve as a test for Aoun's street presence. Also in the news were yesterday's developments after Intelligence Branch authorities arrested youth attempting to vandalize new parking meters installed on the corniche, which in turn angered "We Want Accountability" protestors, leading to demonstrations.

Aoun Tests his Street Today --- AS-SAFIR

As-Safir daily on Friday wrote that the scene at Martyrs' Square today will be a test of FPM's [Free Patriotic Movement] ability to rally a popular segment that exceeds the number of its partisans [17 thousands members], whether it can rally the Christian population, and more importantly, whether it will be able to emphasize national and social slogans.

This image Aoun wishes to portray will not be excluded from the context of the demonstrations in downtown Beirut over the past two weeks, nor will it be isolated from the image the Lebanese Forces wish to portray in the Me'rab service tomorrow on the Lebanese Forces Martyrs' Day, especially since its leader Samir Geagea has taken the decision to boycott the new dialogue sessions, as he frankly told some "14 March" officials that he refuses to go on with his policy of agreeing to hasty decisions made by his partner Saad al-Hariri without consulting him first.

As-Safir has also learned that Berri has received favorable replies from all parties invited to the dialogue except for the forces.

The "Loyalty to the Resistance" bloc yesterday issued a statement asserting that it stands by popular demands, stressing on the importance of the "freedom of demonstration and peaceful expression, and the necessity of protecting stability, refusing chaos and attacks on public and private property".

The bloc considered the "cry of citizens against corruption, power blackouts, and unemployment, to be a legitimate right, and an expression of the pain felt from the country's situation because of the state's abandonment of its responsibilities, and the compilation of crises from the state-destructive policy adopted by the team that has administered its economy and finance for decades."

Demonstration Fever, From "Parkmeters" to Presidency --- AN-NAHAR

An-Nahar, for its part, wrote that "the image of protest movements has differed in the last hours, and seems to be moving towards surprise initiatives. "We Want Accountability" group members yesterday targeted newly installed parking meters on the corniche in Ain al-Mreiseh, which they vandalized, saying that the corniche belongs to the people, and citizens cannot be forced to pay for parking on the corniche.

The group succeeded in its movement after two of its activists were arrested and then released after a demonstration in front of the Interior Ministry, and Beirut Governor Judge Ziad Shbib responded to the group and ordered the suspension of parking meters that were installed along the seaside corniche. These movements coincided with other activists beginning a hunger strike in front of the environment ministry, demanding the resignation of Environment Minister Mohammad al-Mashnouq.

Waste Crisis: Will Government Strike Off Municipality Debt? --- AL-AKHBAR

Al-Akhbar also spoke of the happenings at the seaside corniche and the demonstration in front of the Interior Ministry, adding news about Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayeb's long awaited report from the panel of experts on solutions for the waste crisis. The solution being the return of municipalities to the forefront, after the government pays them back its debts, and striking off all municipal debts, which are both equal.

This solution, the paper explains, may seem radical, and is expected to ruffle some political feathers, especially from the Future Party, which refuses striking off municipal debts. Shehayeb's solution also entails giving municipalities responsibility for the waste dossier after a transitional period wherein "healthy landfills" must be arranged for Sukleen's area of operations.

Al-Akhbar also discussed the UN Secretary General's envoy, Sigrid Kaag's Security Council presentation on the tensions in Lebanon born of the waste crisis, and described as positive House Speaker Nabih Berri's call for dialogue, saying that it is indicative of a "working government capable of taking important decisions under the circumstances, even in the absence of a president."

Source: al-Ahed News, Edited by website team