Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun announced on Friday that newly-appointed Labor Minister Salim Jreissati had become the newest members of the Change and Reform bloc, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.
Jreissati meanwhile said that a mission to achieve change and reform “can be achieved without creating disputes.”
He made his statements after an extraordinary meeting for the Change and Reform bloc headed by Aoun.
The minister added: “The upcoming phase in Lebanon should be marked by stability and calm and a commitment to change and reform on all levels.”
He revealed that Hizbullah had welcomed his appointment as minister.
An Nahar noted that Jreissati had played a “central role” in voicing an objection to the legal aspects of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon where he had worked closely with Hizbullah in proving its alleged illegality.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper noted on Saturday that the minister is still part of the party’s legal team, adding that he also “played a role in devising the so-called new Syrian constitution.”
Jreissati had held a press conference in August with the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad in order to discuss the legality of the STL.
The labor minister later told al-Manar television on Friday that Aoun’s choice to appoint him as minister was a “strategic one”.
Widely-informed sources told al-Joumhouria that the appointment took place in agreement between Aoun and his ally Hizbullah.
They added that a Hizbullah delegation had visited Rabieh on Thursday during which it requested that Aoun appoint Jreissati instead of the MP’s candidates of Joseph Jreissati and Nadim Latif.
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