Berri Says 'Something Big' Blocking New Government

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has voiced concern that “something big” might be blocking the formation of the new government as he condemned the latest fiasco that followed the nomination of Jawad Adra as a so-called consensus minister.

“I’m afraid that something big might be behind the obstruction but it is still unclear to me. It is something bigger than the issue of the Consultative Gathering and deeper than the issue of portfolios,” Berri told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Monday.

“The issue of portfolios ended long time ago and PM-designate (Saad) Hariri himself said that only the names of Hizbullah’s ministers were missing… but the past days confirmed that the matter has nothing to do with the party or its candidates, knowing that I personally have not submitted the names of the ministers of the Development and Liberation bloc,” the Speaker added.

Asked whether foreign interference is blocking the new government, Berri said: “In light of what we are witnessing and what has happened, I do not rule out this possibility and the issue seems to be very big.”