Berri Adamant to Keep 'Finance' and 'Public Works' Portfolios

Speaker Nabih Berri is adamant to be given the two ministerial portfolios of finance and public works and has stressed that he won't concede them to any other political party, media reports said on Tuesday.

Berri will not accept attempts to allot the two portfolios to any other bloc other than his own, particularly that the main political blocs have each adhered to the portfolios that were allotted to them in the previous government. The foreign ministry portfolio is allotted to the Free Patriotic Movement, the interior and the telecommunications given to al-Mustaqbal Movement, said the reports.

Sources close to Berri said the AMAL Movement has set two conditions in return for its participation in the new cabinet line-up. Allotting the public works ministry to the Liberation and Development bloc is one condition and giving Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh a portfolio that meets his approval is another.

Coordination between Berri and Hizbullah will continue in that regard. Hizbullah will not step in to reduce or pressure Berri to drop some conditions in return for his participation in the new cabinet line-up as rumors say, added the reports.

Although hopes rose that a cabinet could be formed before Independence Day, but efforts seem to stall in light of the political parties' adamant demands to be given specific portfolios in the future cabinet.