Progressive Socialist Party MP Ghazi al-Aridi announced that the party will declare on Saturday a new electoral law format that “ensures partnership,” the National News Agency reported Friday.

Aridi, dispatched by PSP leader Walid Jumblat, spoke from Bkirki after meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, he said: “The PSP will declare a new format on Saturday.”

MP Marwan Hamadeh told the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Thursday that during the months that preceded ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination in Feb. 2005, Syria sought to grant former President Emile Lahoud “all powers” at a time when Hariri worked on forming an anti-Damascus opposition in hopes of winning the general elections.

“Lebanon was a parliamentary system, which was being shifted by Syria into a presidential system, whereby Lahoud - a Syrian candidate and a Syrian representative - was grabbing all powers,” Hamadeh told the STL Trial Chamber.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Friday reiterated his support for his presidential nominee MP Henri Helou as Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced that there is “nothing new” in the issue of the stalled presidential vote.

“Talks were frank and positive ... and there were points of agreement and contention, but in the end we only have the choice of dialogue,” Jumblat said following talks with Geagea in Maarab.

Financial General Prosecutor Judge Ali Ibrahim charged on Thursday MEAS company with negligence and vandalism in the case of Airport road floods.

The state-run National News Agency reported that Ibrahim referred the case to the first military investigating judge in Mount Lebanon.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Monday noted that resigned Public Works and Transport Minister “cannot act on his own,” after the latter said he was stepping down from his duties in the caretaker cabinet.

“Aridi belongs to a party and he cannot act on his own,” Jumblat said in an interview with LBCI television.

Caretaker Transportation and Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi announced on Monday his resignation from government in light of recent corruption allegations.

He said during a press conference that he will “cease his caretaker role from cabinet and take a break from politics.”

Financial General Prosecutor Ali Ibrahim requested on Thursday a hearing with caretaker Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi in order to address corruption allegations, reported the National News Agency.

It said that the minister has a week to comply with the request.

The head of the parliamentary public works committee said that the Central Inspection Board has launched an investigation into the engineering aspect of alleged construction violations that emerged after a spat between two cabinet ministers.

MP Mohammed Qabbani told An Nahar daily in remarks published on Thursday that the head of the Board, George Awad, confirmed to him during a telephone conversations about the probe into the accusations and counter accusations made by caretaker Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi and caretaker Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi.

Caretaker Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi accused the caretaker Finance Minister on Monday of obstructing the allocation of funds for public works throughout the country, including the cleaning of sewers ahead of the winter season.

“I reiterate that I assume responsibility for anything related to the public works ministry,” Aridi said during a lengthy press conference he held at his office after being criticized of neglect when roads were swamped with rainwater last week.

Hizbullah and Progressive Socialist Party officials have agreed on the need to speed up the formation of a national unity cabinet and pushed for a deal to keep the differences on the Syrian crisis away from the streets, sources said Thursday.

The sources told As Safir daily that a meeting was held on Wednesday night at the residence of Hizbullah Minister Hussein al-Hajj Hassan between PSP officials and the party's representatives.