Jumblat, Aoun Bicker over Telecom and Energy Portfolios
Sharp differences between the Progressive Socialist Party and the Free Patriotic Movement surfaced on Tuesday over the energy and telecommunication portfolios despite the failure of the rival parties to agree on the nature of the new cabinet and the name of the PM-designate.
According to As Safir newspaper, PSP chief MP Walid Jumblat rejects handing over to the FPM the same shares that it had in the resigned government.
“FPM will not be handed over the energy and telecommunications ministries... It's impossible and will not happen again,” the newspaper quoted Jumblat as saying.
The Druze chief wondered if anything stood in the way of granting the energy ministry portfolio to the head of the Petroleum Companies in Lebanon, Bahij Abu Hamza, who is loyal to Jumblat.
He also hinted that Bassam Yemmin, who is loyal to the Marada Movement, should be appointed as telecom minister.
According to As Safir, Aoun rejects the reassignment of Caretaker PM Najib Miqati after he resigned on March 22 without having guarantees that his bloc will keep the energy and telecom ministries.
Miqati's resignation further complicated the political crisis in Lebanon.
Aoun's Change and Reform bloc was handed 10 portfolios in the resigned government.
The cabinet, which was formed in 2011, came after the March 8 alliance ministers withdrew from ex-PM Saad Hariri's national unity government.
Jumblat's 12-member National Struggle Front parliamentary bloc, along with the March 8 majority led by Hizbullah, brought Miqati to the premiership.
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