After circulating news about a meeting between the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gibran Bassil, and former Interior Minister Ziad Baroud, and about the possibility of the movement accepting Baroud as a candidate, Ziad Baroud denied this news to “ici beyrouth” by saying: “I have not seen the head of the movement, Gibran Bassil for more than two years.” .
He added, “I have been the preoccupation of a certain group for several weeks, circulating fabricated news in the context of the Ali campaign.”
According to him, the authors of these rumors sought to “distort the reality of his independence in his political work.”
Baroud insists that “in the three years I spent in the Ministry of the Interior, I fully understood that there is nothing hidden in the country,” stressing that he was not affected by “maneuvers of bad faith,” saying: “If I had spoken with Basil, I would undoubtedly announce it.” But I can assure you that I have not even met an envoy from him.”
Baroud stresses that, “I have nothing to hide. Whenever I want to meet someone, I do so publicly, as I did when I met with the MPs for Change,” recalling that he had not decided whether or not his candidacy.
The entire article can be found in French on the ici beyrouth website