SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 29 March 2024, Friday |

Mikati will not succumb to Bassil’s blackmail, refuse to engage in arguments

A month after the parliamentary elections and nearly three weeks, considering the government resigned, President Michel Aoun did it, and set June 23 next as the date for binding parliamentary consultations, and until this date is reached, it is expected that consultations and contacts will intensify between all political parties and parliamentary blocs in order to crystallize the name of the next prime minister, but it seems that until now, the name of President Najib Mikati is still ahead of the names circulated or expected, although it is certain that if he is named, the number of votes he will receive will be shy and similar to the votes obtained by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri when he was elected by the representatives, due to the entry of a good number of independent representatives and changes in the course of the political game.

In this context, sources close to President Mikati told ٍSawt Beirut International: “So far, no one has been able to clearly define the path of assignment, despite the fact that President Mikati’s achievement is always present, and the same applies to his presence at the international and regional levels.”

The sources indicate that the government, although it was not able to perform miracles, but it was able to carry out the main task that was entrusted to it, which is to accomplish the parliamentary elections in the best possible way, despite the local, international and regional skepticism about that, the sources of the caretaker prime minister consider that Prime Minister Mikati is absolutely not enthusiastic about taking up this responsibility again at this stage, but the ball today is in the court of the new parliament by naming the majority for the next prime minister, as the sources say, which confirms that every parliamentary bloc has the right to express its opinion on the issue of assignment as it deems appropriate, and Representative Gibran Bassil has the right to nominate whom he considers best to form a government.

Regarding the public refusal of some parliamentary blocs to name Mikati in the parliamentary consultations, specifically Basil, the sources point out that President Mikati remains calm and does not want to enter into any arguments of any kind with any of the personalities at this stage, especially since it is known that he will not accept submission to any Political blackmail was especially that Bassil used this method when forming governments, and the sources indicate that Mikati, as the head of a caretaker government, considers that the priority today is to deal with national and livelihood issues in light of the open strike of the public sector, which leads to general paralysis in official administrations and consequently the suspension of public utilities and imports.

The sources call for waiting for the commissioning stage and what will happen to things if it is by facilitating formation or placing sticks in the wheels of composition, and remember that past experiences were not encouraging in this regard despite the achievement that Mikati made of turning the corners and forming a “Together to the Rescue” government in a period that did not exceed a month and a half.

The sources stress that all political parties must respect the principle of freedom of expression and that these opinions be focused on the national interest and reducing tensions, especially since Lebanon is at an important juncture of merit, which is the election of a president.

Regarding the fate of the initial agreement that was concluded between the International Monetary Fund and the Lebanese state, the sources indicate that the agreement established mandatory crossing points for the negotiation mechanism through the flexibility that the Fund followed with Lebanon, considering that the matter is not enough, it requires drafting and approving draft laws, carrying out specific reforms, and so on.

The sources stressed the need to expedite the formation of the government to have the required powers to negotiate, sign, pledge and implement, and to start providing aid and loans to Lebanon.

While waiting, it seems that the collapse continues and will not stop at certain limits as long as President Aoun is in the presidency and that things will not be straightened unless the political system responsible for bringing the country to what it has reached is held accountable.

 

    Source:
  • Sawt Beirut International