Salam and FPM to Raise Cabinet Mechanism in Next Session

Prime Minister Tammam Salam and ministers of the Free Patriotic Movement are expected to raise the issue of the mechanism governing the cabinet’s work because of what they described as the “obstruction practiced by ministers of the Kataeb party,” the al-Akhbar daily reported on Monday.

During Thursday's cabinet session, Salam and FPM ministers will bring up the issue of changing the mechanism considering that “things cannot stay the way they are because of the obstruction of some representative parties, mainly the Kataeb, which are hampering a number of cabinet files,” the daily added.

However some ministers have stressed that “ they have no cognition that the issue will be discussed in the coming session.”

Sources close to Salam assured on condition of anonymity that the PM “has not so far discussed the cabinet mechanism with any of the ministers,” adding “the problem lies in the postponement of controversial agenda items and not because of the need to have the signature of all government members.”

The sources stressed that any measure taken therein will only be “temporary,” emphasizing that “ignoring the government's components will only lead to the destruction of the last constitutional institution in Lebanon.”

The sources also voiced fear of the vacuum at the presidential post saying “the government is in an undesirable position. We cannot continue without a head of state.”

On changing the cabinet mechanism, the sources said it would not be applicable for two reasons “first because it is not logical and second because non of the parties represented in the cabinet would accept it.”

For their part, March 8 alliance sources said they would not oppose a change in the mechanism which requires the signing of all ministers, noting that the they will be positive in dealing with this proposal if the alternative is to return to constitutional rules. However they questioned the possibility that the suggestion would be applied.

As for the Kataeb, the party ministers most accused of disrupting the cabinet, they said: “We are not the ones paralyzing the cabinet. The major obstruction originates from other parties. Everyone knows that the obstruction rises mainly from disagreement between the FPM and the Amal movement ministers.”

“Major files like the oil, telecommunication, water resources and the Iranian aid to Lebanon have been obstructed before by other minsters,” Kataeb stressed.

The sources concluded stressing the necessity to “respect the major constitutional rules by electing a head of state.”

D.A.

G.K.