Reuters
The Maronite Patriarch in Lebanon, Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, warned of a “complete collapse” in the country, as a result of obstructing government formation “for the sake of immediate and future calculations.”
He said in the New Year’s sermon at the “Our Lady” Church in Bkerke, north of Beirut: “No one or any group of the political group, whether directly or indirectly involved, has the right to hinder the formation of the government for the sake of current or future accounts and interests.”
He added, “More than 70 days have passed since the formation of the government, while Lebanon is moving rapidly towards complete collapse and bankruptcy.”
And he continued: “What a more comprehensive and stronger destructive responsibility than destroying Beirut’s port, demolishing half of the capital, and causing hundreds of innocent victims and thousands of homeless families, because their destruction affects the entire people and the life of the entire state.”
He pointed out that “it is truly shameful for the new year to begin without the government being composed and devoted to work. It is also disgraceful for the unemployed to deal with the Lebanese issue as if it were one of the chess stones of the Middle East or the major countries.”
Lebanon has been unable to form a new government since the caretaker government headed by Hassan Diab resigned, 6 days after the Beirut port explosion on August 4, which killed dozens.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun last October assigned Saad Hariri to form a new government.
Source: “National News Agency”
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