Bassil Says FPM Open to All Options Regarding Cabinet Formation
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil stressed on Friday that the adoption of the concept of rotating ministerial portfolios in the upcoming cabinet hinders the Free Patriotic Movement's participation.
“Those who think that they can impose on us a de-facto matter should realize that what we can do is bigger than the current political situation... We are strong,” Bassil said in an interview in al-Joumhouria newspaper.
He pointed out that the FPM “is open to all options as it has 27 lawmakers at the parliament and a Christian support.”
The FPM minister wondered that if Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam's cabinet will last for a short period of time to oversee the upcoming presidential elections then why is there insistence on the adoption of rotating ministerial portfolios.
Salam, who was appointed in April, is holding onto the concept of “fair, balanced and comprehensive rotation of portfolios,” which is rejected by the Free Patriotic Movement.
The cabinet formation process was put on the front burner after Speaker Nabih Berri proposed a revised 8-8-8 government formula and President Michel Suleiman said he would form a so-called neutral cabinet if the political rivals don't agree on an all-embracing government within ten days.
Asked if there is any intention to exclude a certain party from the cabinet formation process, Bassil denied the matter, saying there “is an unacceptable behavior to leave out Christians.”
He noted that the FPM has been supporting the formation of a new cabinet and exerted efforts to bridge the gap between the political foes in order to reach common grounds, however, the minister demanded a fair and balanced formula that should reflect the party's weight in the parliament.
Bassil said that the FPM is dealing “positively” with the cabinet formation negotiations.
Amid the Lebanese Forces' rejection of Hizbullah's participation in the cabinet, the March 14 camp has reportedly accepted the 8-8-8 formula in principle, but it is awaiting answers pertaining to the ministerial policy statement and the rotation of portfolios among political parties.
The 8-8-8 formula divides ministers equally between the centrists and March 14 and 8 alliances, in which each get eight ministers with “decisive ministers” for the March 14 and 8 coalitions.
Bassil expressed belief that the March 8 alliance, specifically Hizbullah, will support the demands of the FPM.
“An all-embracing cabinet will be formed but it will lose its credibility if Christians didn't support it,” the minister said.
The minister called for real “national partnership.”
24 January 2014, 09:18
1811
"Bassil expressed belief that the March 8 alliance, specifically Hizbullah, will support the demands of the FPM"… this is hilarious, you are on Nasrallah's leash not the other way around. The thought of loosing his cash cow is driving the national son-in-law crazy and if he looses anymore hair he will end up like his daddy Aoun insane and with a bad combover.
24 January 2014, 09:35
189
Bassil discovered oil and gas off lebanese shores and he should stay on until both are extracted and we all feel the benefits of his "gas".
24 January 2014, 11:03
2011
we have had only disasters since aoun came back!
- electricity? is there worse electricity than what we now have? (or do not have?)
- internet? what a joke! take a trip outside Lebanon to learn about internet access!
and what is worse and unforgivable is the cover aoun has provided hizbushaitan since he came back. a cover that allowed this terrorist Iranian extremist militia to take over our country for several years.
a cover that covered up all the assassinations of hizbushaitan and more....
24 January 2014, 11:16
2010
another proof of FT STUPIDITY!!!!!!
who is blaming those on aoun?
what aoun is being blamed on is very clear and correct. re read above.
24 January 2014, 11:20
177
They only paid drone it seems is you, always spruiking how wonderful Auon and Bwesir are where is your evidence of improved electricity and intorrnet you fool lets do a audit of Bwesirs wealth since he started this portfolio if he will allow .
24 January 2014, 12:01
34
So where's the role of the people, have they been relegated to the furthest reaches of the furthest shelves? By the way, do these sods own the country or what?! FPM agrees here, disagrees there, Hezbollah the same, Future the same, LF stays out, so does Kataeb, guys guys, wait a little, pause a little will you?! Who owns this country 4 Million plus Lebanese inside Lebanon plus approx 14 Million abroad or you the mafia? I know one thing is for sure, we Lebanese cannot rule ourselves, in fact there's nothing we can solve on our own. The bitter irony is this: you guys are making us regret and yearn for the days when the Syrians ruled us, at least one word from their governor in Lebanon will put you all in order, just like little lap dogs, yap yap, go fetch, and done!!
24 January 2014, 12:10
55
One man in Ablah was able with his little finger to put you all little politicians in perfect order. You would stand outside in the cold whilst your Syrian boss drinks his tea, once the gate man calls you, Fout Wlah, you dash in like little students standing waiting to be told to sit. Since 2005, I would like to see what problem did we solve, since then, what solution came about? Yes, the Syrian ruled us, but his boot was not only on the people's necks, but more on yours you ya filthy mafia. Stop dealing it between yourselves, leave, go away, disappear, leave Tamam Salam form his government of human beings, decent human beings, they can solve everything if only you filth got the f.*.&.#. out of the way. We the people now wonder what next you will condition us into!! Tfeh 3aleykoun, bootit 7aramiyyeh.
24 January 2014, 12:29
55
(A). Have these dirty crooks ever heard from the people that this is the kind of government they the people want?! have we delegated this responsibility to them, or have they just embarked on it like they do with everything? Where is the oil and gas issue now? And what about the plethora of the other problems we are facing, have we even started to find solutions yet?! Just look at Bassil, everyone knows that before he married the lilliputian genera's daughter, this man was almost broke, his papa was borrowing money to pay for his tuition. Now some years into the ministries he's heading, the man has literally made as much money as Hariri did, but in a lot shorter time frame, all from Lebanon's coffers. Now you people of Lebanon, do you understand why the mafia of both M8 and M14 fight it so hard since 2005?
24 January 2014, 12:29
2010
Waaaw improved our electricity, internet and telecom! Yes he's doing an amazing job with the 12 hour electricity that cuts off as soon as a bolt of lightning shows up, the overpriced internet has a cap on downloads"lol" and telecom you mean alpha and mtc right ya jaffar? Most expensive calls in the world for the most dismal service.
I don't know what planet you're living on drone could it be urANUS?
Anyway mouthpieces like you deserve to be ruled by incompetent thieves.
24 January 2014, 12:29
36
(B). You wait ya sha3b Lubnen, 10 years from now, they'll charge you for the air you breathe, they'll even invent little meters they'll attach to your noses and they'll charge you for the units you spend breathing. Just try not to cheat them, you could land into serious trouble. You think I am over stating? OK, wait, and see, 10 years or less.
24 January 2014, 15:31
00
He has done the best job anybody else before him has. So has the telecom minister. You folks best stop your partisan hate and admit it.
24 January 2014, 18:23
123
isn't it appalling to see these so-called politicians still arguing over stupid matters just to slow down the cabinet formation?
i thought ALL ministries were important to the welfare of the country? so why are they arguing over who takes what? LOL
or it simply means that some ministries are not Worth working for, then it simply means the ministers in charge of them are useless so they are just paid for doing nothing!
then why waste people's money over the ministries they despise? LOL just shut them and reduce the number of ministers: THAT would be Worth arguing over! how can we reduce public money spendings!!!
but it is sure that the ministry of culture cannot fit a FPMer: he would need a bit of culture for that! LOL
