Miqati Determined Not to Call for New Cabinet Sessions Amid Clash with FPM
Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed that the suspension of cabinet sessions falls within his constitutional rights, noting that he aims to push all the members to act responsibly and positively.
Miqati said on his twitter account after the president decided to suspend session at Baabda palace under the premier’s request that the suspension “falls within the PM's Constitutional prerogatives, especially when there's quorum.”
“The move is meant to push everyone to act responsibly and use their energy positively, towards the smooth run of state affairs not the opposite,” the Prime Minister said.
On Wednesday, the cabinet session witnessed a heated debate over the appointments of civil servants as the Free Patriotic Movement ministers objected on the names of the Higher Disciplinary Council and the government representative at this council.
“Those who are obstructing the work of the cabinet are exposed and I can’t accept that anymore,” Miqati told the ministers during the session, according to remarks made to An Nahar daily by sources close to Miqati.
“I will not call for new meetings, and I will not take the responsibility of obstruction after today,” the sources quoted Miqati as saying.
The Premier told An Nahar that he will not “boycott (the government) nor resign, and he will not call for new sessions until the disputes are resolved… It’s time for us to be productive.”
A minister loyal to Miqati told the daily that appointing the head of the Higher Disciplinary Council falls in the premier’s jurisdictions, but Miqati rejected when FPM minister Jebran Bassil demanded that the appointment be made after discussing the issue with FPM chief MP Michel Aoun.
The PM told As Safir newspaper that he “proposed a number of appointments according to the mechanism approved by the cabinet, but it was rejected under various pretexts, so I requested the president to suspend the session.”
“We shouldn’t be wasting time. If they want the cabinet to be productive everyone should assume their responsibilities,” Miqati reiterated.
The PM, according to local newspapers, criticized those who are blocking the cabinet’s work in reference to ministers loyal to Aoun, at a time when those same sides are accusing the cabinet of being unproductive.
Miqati is expected to make a speech during a ceremony in the northern port city of Tripoli after the completion of the restoration of the main port.
According to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Thursday, the PM will tackle the latest developments locally and will announce his stances over the thorny issues and disputes.
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