Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai again lashed out at Lebanon’s political leaders for failing to form a new cabinet, accusing them of sharing a common interest in obstructing any political agreement to resolve the deepening crisis and of starving the Lebanese people.
He said the leaders have proven to everyone in Lebanon and the world that they do not want to form a new government.
“They have a common interest, which is obstruction and bringing the people to their knees for no reason, by starving, humiliating and impoverishing them and stripping hope from their hearts,” Rai said during a Mass service held at Bkirki on Sunday.
The patriarch stressed that the formation of a new government is a top priority.
“A fully empowered government is the key to resolving the rest of the basic issues, whether in terms of reforms or political, security or economic and social issues,” he explained.
Rai said the government is required to strengthen its capacity and move away from any tutelage that limits aid from donor countries, and to work on returning looted funds and expediting the implementation of the reform plan that would help the people.
“Without a government, divisions would deepen and state authority that safeguards Lebanon would be undermined,” he warned.
Addressing officials, he said: “Positive work demands the formation of a government for the sake of the people. You should be ashamed before the Arab and international communities and before Arab and foreign visitors.”
He also called for a “serious, not a selective, forensic audit, which cannot take place without the formation of a government.”
He made his remarks in reference to President Michel Aoun who last week criticized the central bank’s delay in launching the audit. His comments had sparked political debate with several officials echoing Rai’s remarks that a government needed to be formed first so that it can oversee the audit.
“Officials concerned with the government formation should cease their obstruction - through fabricating constitutional norms, fictitious privileges and pointless conditions for the sake of covering the main hurdle, which is that some sides have offered Lebanon as a hostage to the regional/international conflict,” Rai remarked.
