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Joumblatt calls for rapid cabinet formation, decries partisan claims on key ministries

Joumblatt calls for rapid cabinet formation, decries partisan claims on key ministries

PSP leader Walid Jumblatt. (AFP archive photo)

BEIRUT — "There is a need to form a government as soon as possible," Walid Joumblatt, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party said Friday in a statement.

Here’s what we know:

  • Parliamentary consultations to appoint a prime minister and form a government are set to take place on June 23.

  • During the meeting of the PSP’s parliamentary bloc, "Democratic Gathering," also attended by party leader Walid Joumblatt, the eight MPs denounced in a statement the "policy of monopolizing" ministries by certain political parties. They said their sources have informed them that the Free Patriotic Movement has already claimed, once again, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Energy.

  • The statement also affirmed that serious measures should be considered during the the formation of a new government which will be “responsible for several fundamental missions," referring in particular to the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the fight against the economic crisis, claiming that the current government has failed in tackling these issues.

  • In the statement, the bloc stated that it was “surprised that Lebanon gave a verbal and not written response [over what’s happening in the disputed Karish field], which raises questions about the veracity of these developments and shows a lack of transparency in the attitude of officials on this subject.”

  • They also called for the modification of Decree No. 6433 of 2011 to officially claim line 29, which grants Lebanon an additional area of ​​1,430 square kilometers compared to line 23, considered official on the basis of the same decree.

  • "While all those responsible had signed Decree No. 6433, the president refused to sign it and opened a big bazaar," said Joumblatt claiming that the president has "personal calculations having no connection with national interests.”

  • On June 5, a floating production, storage and offloading unit belonging to the London-listed power company Energean arrived to part of the disputed exclusive economic zone between Israel and Lebanon with the aim to start drilling the Karish gas field on behalf of the Israeli state, prompting tensions and fears from Lebanon’s politicians and experts.

BEIRUT — "There is a need to form a government as soon as possible," Walid Joumblatt, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party said Friday in a statement. Here’s what we know:   • Parliamentary consultations to appoint a prime minister and form a government are set to take place on June 23.   • During the meeting of the PSP’s parliamentary bloc, "Democratic Gathering," also...