Aoun: Shiite Ministers Behavior Shameful, Polls May be Delayed over Lack of Funds

President Michel Aoun has described the behavior of Shiite ministers in the latest Cabinet session as “shameful,” as he said that he fears that the parliamentary elections might be postponed due to a lack of funds.

The Shiite ministers’ “objection was not over the appointments themselves not over the appointees. The issue is that there is a vacant post, the State Security deputy chief, to whom the Shiite ministers want to name a successor, but they did not bring a proposed name,” Aoun said in an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper.

“They demanded delaying the appointments until they provide the name. I gave them a week to bring it in order to appoint him in the next Cabinet session but they refused, so I was annoyed by their approach,” the President added.

“Chaos ensued but Cabinet approved the appointments. What they did was shameful. What and whom were they questioning?” Aoun said.

He stated that the ministers’ call for postponing the appointments was “unacceptable,” adding that “it is okay if they got upset.”

“Next week we will appoint for them their candidate,” Aoun went on to say, adding that “what happened will not affect Cabinet sessions” and that “certainly there will not be a return to boycotting.”

Turning to the issue of elections, the President said the state “does not have money for anything.”

“That’s why I may have fear for the elections and concerns that the vote might not be held,” he added.