Lawmakers assail Ahmadinejad, propose debate

Three lawmakers on Saturday slammed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for launching an attack on the elected representatives of the people, saying he is legally obliged to execute the economic reform plan approved by the Parliament (Majlis).

Gholam Reza Mesbahi Moqaddam, Ali Tavakkoli, and Elyas Naderan — three Tehran lawmakers seen as economic experts — said in a joint statement that the president is under oath to implement the approved legislation.

"The president does not have the right to disobey a law which has been approved by the Parliament," read the statement.

Thus, they said, questioning the collective judgment of the Parliament on the economic reform plan was neither wise nor legal, they said, Fars news agency reported.

In a televised interview on Friday, President Ahmadinejad suggested holding a referendum to approve radical subsidy cuts that the Parliament has approved partially; arguing that any such move could stoke inflation.

"The solution is to ask people if they want this law to be implemented or not and to hold a referendum on this issue," Ahmadinejad said. "We should not require the government to do something that hurts people. The government would not do anything that hurts the people."

In reaction, the lawmakers, considered as economic experts, slammed the president, but said providing the legal process is taken, the Parliament would consider a referendum. "Any call for referendum, after it is approved by the Parliament, should be issued by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei]."

They, however, invited the president to a televised debate over the issue.

"To further clarify [the issue] for the people and avert a one-sided argument, we are ready to defend the national interest, the people's interest, and the country's economy in a debate with Mr. Ahmadinejad," they said. "However, it would be wise if he assigned the task to economic experts, since he is not one."

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121292§ionid=351020102.