Berri Calls for Swift Formation of Cabinet, Says Standstill Cannot Go On

Speaker Nabih Berri said on Monday that the political deadlock should be resolved, stressing the the cabinet formation became an essential demand.

“The situation can't go on as it is,” Berri said in comments published in local newspapers.

He stressed that “the ongoing paralysis will further obstruct the work of institutions... This should end.”

Concerning his recent meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Berri said that he clarified that constitution doesn't determine any reference regarding the tasks that should be carried out by a caretaker cabinet.

“The constitution only specifies the tasks that should be carried out by a caretaker parliament if it was dissolved,” Berri said in his statements.

Miqati stressed on Saturday after talks with Berri that talks are ongoing to determine the correct reference over the tasks that should be carried out by a caretaker cabinet.

He has been boycotting parliamentary sessions with 45 items on their agenda over claims that the legislature should only meet for emergency issues amid a resigned cabinet.

The sessions haven't been held yet over the boycott of several parliamentary blocs, mainly al-Mustaqbal, which has severely criticized Berri for trying to impose the power of the legislature on the rest of the state institutions.

Berri stressed in his comments that there's a session set that the caretaker cabinet could attend instead of Miqati's calls for a session to set the tasks of his government.

Last week, Miqati revealed that he will file a request for the parliament to hold a session set to explaining the tasks that could be carried out by a caretaker cabinet.

Endeavors are ongoing to end the cabinet deadlock amid reports that President Michel Suleiman insists on forming it ahead of the Independence Day on November 22 based on any distribution of portfolios as long as the rival parties agree.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam continuously said that conditions and counter-conditions set by the rival sides have brought his efforts to form a cabinet to a stalemate.

Since his appointment to form a cabinet in April, Salam has been seeking the formation of a 24-member cabinet in which the March 8, March 14 and centrists camps would each get eight ministers.