Sayyed Nasrallah: Method adopted does not solve government formation, only complicate crisis

  Local Editor

Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that the adopted approach of announcing Government formation will not resolve the political ordeal in the country; it will only make it more complicated. 

Sayyed Nasrallah said that the opposition acts towards this situation with complete solidarity. His Eminence revealed that the counterpart did not present any compromises, not even one since the beginning of negotiations and discussions on portfolios and names. He questioned: "Isn't the condition- which the pro-government party clings onto- of disallowing the appointment of those who failed the parliamentary elections considered as an impediment or hampering of launching the government?"

Sayyed Nasrallah said that not only the opposition is holding onto some portfolios but also the pro-government party is holding onto some as well. He added: "I tell you all that the opposition will deal delicately with this new and inappropriate measure and with complete solidarity." 

"The opposition has been united in solidarity up to the moment, today, when the Prime Minister-Designate headed to Beit El-deen Palace (the presidential palace) and presented the government formation file to the Lebanese president. The opposition has been united and will remain united in solidarity, and no one is to think or suppose that the opposition might disagree on this issue." 

"I think that none of the opposition blocs approves that the Prime Minister-designate names its ministers and determine its portfolios. I do not think that the method adopted today solves the government formation crisis, instead it only complicates and adds more burden to the government formation. "
"Things cannot be resolved in such a manner; it is solved by resorting to additional dialogue and presenting compromises." 

Sayyed Hassan Added: "On the topic of portfolios and names- and I personally carry the responsibility of what I say- when negotiations began, the other party in charge of forming the government did not present any compromises, not even one!
Now, it is said that General Aoun is hampering the government formation because he is demanding to take over the Ministry of Interior for example."

I ask a question here: all the way since the beginning, governments have been formed in Lebanon without conditions or rules or even customs that state disallowing the appointment of those who failed the parliamentary elections. "Isn't the condition of banning the appointment of those who failed the parliamentary elections considered as an impediment of launching the government?"

"Is it not at least that, knowing that in the current Lebanese government- the national unity government- there are some who had failed the last elections yet they are still appointed as Cabinet Ministers?

We also have people who failed the last elections but were serious candidates for the presidency of the republic; we did not hear such logic back then! 

Now, when it is said that ‘a parliamentary candidate who lost in his constituency cannot be appointed,' it does not mean he is unqualified or unsuitable, when we all know how the elections took place in Lebanon, and we all know where the votes were sold for a $1,000, $2,000 and $5,000. 

Is the opposition the only side insisting on certain portfolios, is not the US-backed group also clinging to some portfolios?!
When we asked to be given some of the portfolios you have been holding, we are told that that is "a red line" and "impossible"! 

To be fair, let us say there is a disagreement over names and portfolios between the loyalists and opposition camps.
Those who want to say the disruption is Iranian, let him say where?
Iran, which does not and has not intervened in Lebanon, is now busy with itself and in the formation of its own Government, and is treating a situation that unfolded there after their presidential elections. 

Can you imagine the Iranian leadership, now under a worldwide attack and a stream of accusations, which has also been dealing with a certain political unfolding after its recent elections, to be busying itself with who takes this or that portfolio in Lebanon?!

The same applies to the Syrian issue. I know the Syrians are in a hurry and are keen to see a government formed in Lebanon. The government formation benefits the Syrians at pan-Arab scale, regionally and internationally." 

Regarding the bankruptcy case of the businessman Salah Ezziddin, Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that Hizbullah, its leadership and its organization have no connection whatsoever with this issue from beginning to end, emphasizing that the leaders do not possess anything of the claimed funds. He added saying "For a number of media outlets to put a spot light on this matter, when it is now in the hands of the law, aims to tarnish the image of many of the party's cadres."

Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that the party is in the process of issuing a detailed statement on this sensitive subject that affects the people's money.