Salam Vows to Work in Line with the Constitution, Says No to 'Unilateralism'

Prime Minister Tammam Salam reiterated that the paralysis of the executive authority would have negative repercussions on the country, saying he would not give up the authorities given to him by the Constitution.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published on Monday, Salam said: “Provocation and unilateralism lead us nowhere.”

“It's true that there is an imbalance due to the non-election of a new president, but our mission should focus on guaranteeing that the polls take place,” he said.

Salam warned against the dangers of paralyzing the cabinet, saying the executive authority should not be used as a pressure point in the presidential vacuum.

“The paralysis of the government's work affects negatively the country's activity and has direct repercussions on the legislative authority,” he said.

Salam hoped that the next cabinet session on Tuesday would lead to an agreement among the ministers on how to function in the absence of a president.

At the same time he stressed that he will not give up the authorities given to the prime minister by the Constitution.

Among the issues that the cabinet is expected to resolve is the right to introduce items from outside the agenda.

Education Minister Elias Bou Saab told An Nahar that President Michel Suleiman used to exercise such a right before the expiry of his six-year term. “Who would exercise this right now?” he asked.

The cabinet ministers should also agree on ways to reach decisions and sign decrees, he said.

Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi expressed similar views. But hoped that there would be a political decision not to paralyze the government's work.

“Even if there were a mechanism of work, the cabinet would be paralyzed if a certain party decided to do so,” he warned.

During its first session last week since the expiry of Suleiman’s term on May 25, the cabinet agreed that Salam would send the agenda to the ministers 72 hours ahead of the meeting.

They left the discussions on the mechanism to fill the power vacuum for Tuesday.