Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati says that he “sent the formation of the new government to President Michel Aoun,” and that he “does not mind if the latter wants to amend one or two people.”
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Mikati during Saturday’s meeting with Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Al-Rai
The Lebanese Prime Minister-designate, Najib Mikati, confirmed that he “sent the formation of the new government to President Michel Aoun,” and that he “does not mind if the latter wants to amend one or two people,” stressing that the formation of the new government “includes a majority of ministers from the current government.”
And the official account of the Presidency of the Lebanese Council of Ministers reported that Mikati said, during a meeting today, Saturday, with Maronite Patriarch Mar Beshara Al-Rai: “For those who claim to say that I do not want to form a government, I say that I formed a government and sent it to His Excellency the President, and if he wishes to amend one or two persons, I have no objection, but a group cannot say: I want this and that, and impose its conditions.
He continued, “I presented the composition of the majority of its ministers from the current government, because the new ministers will not be able, in a short period of time, to see their ministries’ files.”
In response to a question regarding assigning the Ministry of Finance to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s team, Mikati explained: “I chose a new minister, and the portfolio remained within the existing sectarian distribution, and in one of my media interviews, I said that no portfolio can be the preserve of a specific sect.” He pointed out that “in this particular circumstance, as the government will have a limited lifespan, we will not allow a dispute regarding the Ministry of Finance.”
At the conclusion of his speech, Mikati stressed that “the important thing is for the government to do its duty, whether it is a caretaker government or a new government, in order to reach the presidency in peace and security.”
AndLebanese Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati, On June 23, the government was formed by Lebanese President Michel Aoun.
Mikati won 54 votes in the parliamentary consultations to form the next Lebanese government, compared to 25 votes for the diplomat Nawaf Salam, one vote for former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, one vote for Rawaa al-Hallab, and 46 votes rejected the nomination.
Mikati said, in a speech following his assignment, that the Lebanese “are able together to extricate the country from its crises… Lebanon will not die, and will overcome its ordeal, and we will not let it collapse,” stressing that “the International Monetary Fund is the main crossing for rescue, and without agreement with it.” Rescue opportunities will not be available.”