Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai backed on Sunday Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri's plan to form a cabinet of non-partisan specialists.
Rai's position came contrary to that of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who said last week he supports a government of both technocrats and politicians.
“I am now saying to everyone a government of both technocrats and politicians which will not allow anyone to run away from responsibility is better,” Nasrallah said.
In this regard, Hariri is scheduled to meet with President Michel Aoun on Monday. The two politicians have been wrangling for months as the country sinks deeper into a financial crisis.
For his part, Rai hoped that the meeting between Hariri and the Aloun will lead to the formation of a rescue government of specialists.
He also stressed that setting unattainable conditions to obstruct the govt. formation must come to an end. He also appealed to Arab and foreign countries to support the Lebanese people.
"People are victims of the ruling political class, and therefore we call on Arab and foreign countries to support them."
For his part, Beirut Metropolitan of Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi said the Lebanese people do not care about the number of ministers and the shares of politicians in the new cabinet.
“They only want to live in a free, sovereign country that respects the rule of law,” he said, calling on Aoun and Hariri not to end Monday’s meeting before solving the cabinet crisis.
Also on Sunday, Grand Jaafarite Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan warned that the country is currently similar to a sinking ship that should be saved during Monday’s meeting through agreeing on a national government.
He said if no rescue cabinet is formed soon, the Lebanese would face a catastrophe.
