March 14 Hints at Need for Change in Miqati’s ‘Nomination Status’

Premier-designate Najib Miqati has continued to hold onto his constitutional mission of forming the new cabinet as the March 14 forces began hinting that his “nomination’s status should change.”

Miqati’s visitors quoted him as saying that he would not make concessions on the authorities of the prime minister set in the constitution. “Mistaken are those who think that he would tolerate such a thing.”

They reiterated that Miqati had asked from the parliamentary blocs for the names of their candidates for the portfolios that are part of their shares in the cabinet so that he could find the appropriate lineup consistent with his role and powers.

He is still waiting for the answer, the visitors told As Safir daily on Monday.

But March 14 circles hinted that since the conditions imposed by Hizbullah during Miqati’s nomination are no longer valid, then this requires a “change in the status of the nomination if there was no chance to form a technocrat or neutral government.”

“But such a possibility first requires admission by the new parliamentary majority that it failed in forming the cabinet,” the circles told An Nahar newspaper.

“Hadn’t Miqati rushed towards accepting to form the government, he would have been the best personality to take charge of a transitional cabinet under such difficult circumstances,” they said.