Salam More Lenient as Cabinet Likely to Convene Next Week over Mechanism

Officials close to Prime Minister Tammam Salam have downplayed the suspension of cabinet sessions amid reports that the government could meet next week despite the controversy on its working mechanism.

“Salam has never linked the cabinet session with the mechanism,” the officials told An Nahar daily published on Thursday.

“He only wanted to suspend this week's session to urge all parties to feel the situation that the government's work has reached,” they said.

Their remarks came as ministerial sources did not rule out an invitation by Salam for a session next week after several political parties interfered to resolve the case.

Informed sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper that the cabinet is likely to convene on February 26 to discuss Salam's proposed mechanism.

Salam has suspended Thursday's session and threatened that he would not call for government sessions until an agreement is reached to end the cabinet paralysis.

In line with the constitution, the cabinet began exercising the president’s prerogatives after the parliament failed to elect a successor for Michel Suleiman, whose term ended in May last year.

Salam has adopted the collective vote formula that requires the approval of the 23 ministers on major decisions. Such a process is hindering the government's work over the veto right that certain cabinet members are exercising.

Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq hoped there would be a session next week “to discuss the mechanism with all transparency.”

He told al-Liwaa newspaper that the ministers should also discuss calmly the reasons that led to wrong practices under the current mechanism.

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