Mikati says cabinet to convene regardless of any boycotts

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Wednesday that a caretaker Cabinet session will be held early next week to approve an electricity loan regardless of who may attend or boycott it.

“There is no possibility to grant a loan to Electricite du Liban except through a Cabinet decree and there can be no actions that contradict with the public accounting law,” Mikati told Annahar newspaper in an interview.

“That’s why a Cabinet session will be held,” Mikati stressed, noting that “its agenda has been finalized but it will be delayed until the beginning of next week due to social considerations that took place in the past hours and necessitated postponement.”

He was apparently referring to the death of ex-speaker Hussein al-Husseini earlier in the day and the three days of national mourning that have been declared.

Asked about the parties that support his decision to hold a Cabinet session, Mikati said: “I will not care about who might attend the session and who might boycott it; I will rather hold it.”

“I held consultations with some parties in this regard and let all ministers shoulder their responsibilities,” he added.

As for his tensions with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, Mikati said: “Nothing has changed, the differences are ongoing and there are no signs of a solution, knowing that I’m not a fan of engaging in problems and conflicts with any party.”

“The negative approach that the FPM is using in dealing with the issues is the problem itself,” the premier added.