Aoun Meets Berri: Participation in Parliamentary Sessions being Mulled, Things May Stabilize Soon

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun announced Wednesday from Ain el-Tineh that the participation of the Change and Reform bloc MPs in parliamentary sessions “is being mulled,” noting that solutions to the political crises might be found “in the near future.”

“It is normal to talk about the thorny issues, such as the presidential vote, the cabinet's faltering work and the parliament's performance,” Aoun said after meeting Speaker Nabih Berri.

“These issues require an understanding and we did a good job today which will help stabilize things in the near future,” Aoun added.

At the moment, his bloc is not taking part in parliamentary sessions called by Berri for the election of a new president. Change and Reform also does not favor to participate in parliamentary sessions over the controversial new wage scale before a “final agreement” is reached among the rival parties.

“The issue of participation in the parliamentary sessions is being mulled,” Aoun said in response to a question.

Asked whether the next week will bring solutions, Aoun said: “We discussed all the possible solutions and that definitely will happen."

The ministers of the bloc have stressed that the cabinet should not continue functioning in a regular manner amid the ongoing presidential vacuum.

According to media reports, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil suggested during Tuesday's cabinet session that ministers must also have a say along with the premier in the issue of calling the cabinet to convene and in preparing the agendas of sessions, “which brings things back to square one.”

Y.R.