Candidates made their last-ditch speeches on Friday ahead of the midnight “electoral silence” that brought to an end the media coverage of their campaigns ahead of Sundays parliamentary elections. One of the scathing attacks was made by the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, against ministers of the Lebanese Forces, whom he accused of achieving nothing. Bassil addressed head of the LF Samir Geagea by saying, “Samir, you should stop firing your political assassination bullets, because, this too, is considered a crime.” Although candidates stopped exchanging accusations at midnight Friday, skirmishes between their supporters have not. The latest reported tension was between Hezbollah supporters and the party’s rivals in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa town of Ali al-Nahri. The skirmishes began when supporters of candidate Nizar Dalloul, who is running on the list supported by the Future Movement and the FPM, quarreled with Hezbollah backers. The Lebanese Army quickly intervened after supporters of both camps gathered in the town’s square. A press conference held Friday by the delegation of the European Union Election Observation Mission to Lebanon referred to several clashes taking place between supporters of candidates running for the elections. Elena Valenciano, the missions chief observer, said on Friday that after waiting all those years, the Lebanese people deserve to enjoy calm elections. About 30,000 soldiers and security officers will be on hand to preserve security and stability on Election Day. Lebanese Defense Minister Yaacoub al-Sarraf reassured Lebanese voters that his ministry had completed arrangements for the elections. “All the institutions affiliated to the Ministry have taken all the necessary arrangements and procedures in coordination with the Ministry of Interior in organizing the electoral process and providing a safe environment for citizens to cast their votes on May 6 in all Lebanese regions," Sarraf said.