Hariri underlines need to accelerate government formation

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, on Tuesday underscored the need to expedite government formation, urging all political parties to make sacrifices for the sake of Lebanon and its economy.

Premier Hariri's words came in the wake of his meeting with House Speaker NabihBerri at the latter's residence in Ain al-Tineh, where they broached the current situation in the country notably the government formation process.

The meeting was held in the presence of Caretaker Culture Minister, DrGhattasKhoury, Caretaker Finance Minister, Ali Hassan khalil, and former MP Bassem al-Sabeh.

"Everyone needs to know that government formation is a priority," Premier Hariri told reporters following the two-hour meeting, indicating that the current regional and economic situation necessitates a swift government formation.

"We see eye to eye with [Berri] about the need to expedite the formation of a new government and to activate the economic cycle," Hariri maintained, urging all Lebanon's political parties to rise above current disputes.

"We are in front of a golden opportunity to implement the CEDRE Conference and enact the necessary reforms," Hariri said, indicating that dispute over ministerial shares impede the government formation process.

"We agreed [with Berri] to work together and to diffuse polemics in a bid to speed up the formation of a new government," the PM corroborated.

Hariri relayed Speaker Berri's keenness on a swift government formation.

Source: National News Agency