Saniora Accuses FPM, Hizbullah of Hindering Cabinet Formation
Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Fouad Saniora accused on Monday the Free Patriotic Movement of impeding the government formation with the help of Hizbullah, stressing that the two sides backed down on their commitments.
“All parties agreed to facilitate the formation of the cabinet, however, now some sides are obstructing the matter and imposing condition,” Saniora said in comments published in the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper.
He pointed out that ministries are not assigned to certain parties nor names, adding that this matter violates the constitution.
The lawmaker stressed that those who reject the concept of rotating portfolios toppled al-Mustaqbal chief Saad Hariri's initiative to share power with Hizbullah in an attempt to end a ten-month political deadlock.
He lashed out at the FPM, noting that “the party agreed on the formation of an all-embracing cabinet but backed down.”
Saniora urged President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam to take a final decision and form a cabinet.
“If a de-facto cabinet was formed then we'll see the developments from that point,” he added.
Salam, a 67-year-old moderate, was appointed in April two weeks after the resignation of Premier Najib Miqati.
However, Salam has been facing a difficulty in forming his cabinet over FPM Chief MP Michel Aoun's unswerving stance to retain the energy and telecommunications ministries and his rejection to adopt the concept of rotating ministerial portfolios.
Aoun has rejected the rotation of portfolios as part of a deal struck between the rival parties on the 24-member cabinet based on the 8-8-8 formula, hinting that he would pull his ministers out of it and drawing the support of his allies in the March 8 alliance.
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