The head of Hizbullah's parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammed Raad, announced Monday that his party and its allies have gained the ability to block draft laws that might “harm the country's interest.”

“After the elections, the parliament's situation with its blocs and balance of power has clearly changed and no single camp now has the ability to possess a permanent majority to rely on in approaching laws, proposals and draft laws,” Raad said.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri announced Monday that he submitted to President Michel Aoun a preliminary draft about the parties' shares in the new government.

“Everyone wants the government to be formed as soon as possible and I submitted to President Aoun a preliminary draft about how the shares should be distributed,” Hariri said after meeting Aoun at the Baabda Palace.

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin stressed on strengthening Lebanese-Russian ties, saying any attempt to impose foreign decisions on the Lebanese’ will be prevented.

President Michel Aoun inspected on Monday two official exam centers at the Uruguay public school for students with special learning needs, and at the Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) where baccalaureate official exams have been taking place, the National News Agency reported.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Monday called for the annulment of a controversial naturalization decree granting Lebanese nationality to “suspicious names” that “dishonor” the Lebanese nationality.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement emphasized that efforts to lineup the Cabinet are in progress as they repudiated Hizbullah allegations of a Saudi intervention in the formation process, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

“There is no direct or indirect Saudi intervention in the process of forming the new government,” stressed Mustaqbal sources in remarks they made to the daily replying to remarks made by a senior Hizbullah official.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has told caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil that the relation with the U.N. is “part of his jurisdiction as a premier” and that he “cannot be bypassed” in this regard, after Bassil's decision to block residency permits for UNHCR officials sparked a storm of criticism, media reports said.

Official sources following up on the Syrian refugee crisis added in remarks to al-Hayat daily that Bassil, in his turn, told Hariri that he will not take further measures against the U.N. refugee agency.

A new political confrontation has erupted between Free Patriotic Movement chief and caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and caretaker Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil -- the political aide of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

The row broke out after Bassil appointed honorary consuls without asking Khalil to sign the decree, sources close to Berri and Hizbullah told Kuwait's al-Rai newspaper in remarks published Sunday.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has held talks with Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in the kingdom, media reports said.

The meeting tackled the current situations in Lebanon and the region according to the reports.

President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri surprised citizens overnight by arriving at the Zaitunay Bay promenade on Beirut's waterfront for a previously unannounced dinner meeting.

The two leaders were met by “clapping and cheering” from restaurant and cafe goers, the National News Agency said.