Salamehs dismissal dilemma: Ministerial consultation sparks tension

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Sources from "Al-Joumhouria" suggests that the ministerial consultation meeting was tense, with a sense of frustration apparent on the faces of the ministers, including the Prime Minister, who, according to one of the attending ministers, seemed distracted most of the time and appeared indecisive for an extended period.

The Prime Minister attempted to convince the ministers of the necessity of referring the issue of Salameh to the appropriate judiciary to handle the remaining period of his tenure in the governorship because the Money and Credit Code impedes his dismissal.

This article was originally published in and translated from Lebanese newspaper Al-Joumhouria.

However, Salameh seems to have been in contact with Prime Minister Mikati, refusing to hand over power and resign voluntarily.

Some ministers, notably Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Al Shami, opposed this decision, remaining adamant about dismissing Salameh.

On the other hand, Mikati had a different opinion, considering the decision to dismiss Salameh as populist. He also thought the current phase does not call for populist decisions; foresight, thoughtful consideration, and respect for the state, its institutions, and its judiciary are needed.

Regarding the ministers who supported Khoury's stance, in addition to Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Al Shami, they included Amin Salam, Nasser Yassin, Najla Riachi, Georges Kallas, Walid Nassar, and even Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi.

As for the ministers of the Amal-Hezbollah duo, they played the role of spectators, emphasizing the need to refer Salameh to the Lebanese judiciary rather than dismissing him because "it won't achieve any progress," according to "Al-Joumhouria" sources.