Lebanon’s Hariri blames Hezbollah for obstructing government formation
Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri today blamed Hezbollah for
what he called a “big obstacle” in efforts to form a new government,
indicating there could be no solution if it did not back down.
Hezbollah has been pressing a demand for one of six Sunni Muslim
lawmakers allied to it to get a cabinet position. Hariri has refused to
give up one of the seats allocated for his mainly Sunni party.
“The truth is that government formation has hit a big obstacle,” he told
a televised news conference in Beirut, six months after a parliamentary
election that triggered complex negotiations to form a government.
“The consequences that the country will bear is upon Hezbollah’s
responsibility” if a new government cannot be formed, Hariri added in
English.
He said that if Hezbollah was so concerned that one of its Sunni allies
take a cabinet post, it should give them one of its own. Hezbollah is
expected to take three ministries in the new cabinet.
A new government must be formed before any moves can be made towards
fiscal reforms, which the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in June
are needed immediately to improve debt sustainability in Lebanon.
Reforms would also unlock more than $11 billion of donor funding.
Lebanon has the world’s third largest public debt as a proportion of the
economy, stagnant growth and what the IMF has said are increasing
vulnerabilities in its financial system.
“The economic situation is embarrassing,” Hariri said.
Lebanon’s cabinet is supposed to reflect both the parliamentary
representation of Lebanon’s main parties and its major religious sects.
Rival parties have jostled over how many cabinet positions each faction
should get in the new national unity government, and over the most
important jobs.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah insisted on Saturday that one
of its Sunni allies be given a portfolio in the new cabinet. He
indicated Hezbollah would be ready to go back to square one in
negotiating a government if necessary.
In his first public statement since Nasrallah’s speech, Hariri said
there could be no solution to the impasse as things stood and reiterated
that he would not accept Hezbollah’s demand regarding the cabinet
portfolio.
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