The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed on Saturday that consultations towards holding a cabinet session are not new but they are ongoing with the President and have recently intensified with the different parties of the government.
“The caretaking period has stretched and this is due to the accumulation of urgent files that require governmental decisions since they cannot be left on hold,” he said.
In an interview with An-Nahar newspaper, he stressed that no session date was agreed on yet, pointing that it will depend on the outcome of his contacts with the other members of the government.
In this context, he highlighted that the oil file will not be a priority on the agenda considering that this issue needs more research and will be part of upcoming consultations that will be raised during the session.
Caretaker State Minister for administrative development Mohammad Fneish said on Saturday that the narrow legislative meaning of the “caretaking” is to protect people’s interests and avoid disruptions.
He pointed to the Al-Joumhouria newspaper that the caretaker government was entitled to perform this role as long as it does not compromise public interest and doesn’t take decisions imposing responsibilities and expenses on the country that will be subject to accountability and accountancy.
Fneish also added that Lebanon was in an exceptional situation stressing that the government was responsible saying: “It can’t say it resigned and therefore it can’t take decisions.”
“No one imagined that the government formation crisis could take so long and perhaps even more”, he reflected questioning if this meant that the security situation was to be left unattended.
Future bloc MP Samir El Jisr said in an interview with An-Nahar newspaper on Saturday that the northern city of Tripoli overcame the danger of rumors thanks to the awareness of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the citizens who issued signed statements that slammed all unfounded incidents.
In this context, El Jisr called on the officials to bring those who spread these rumors to justice in order to protect the security plan and put an end to the judiciary slow down regarding the twin blasts because a slow justice is incomplete and fuels the concerns of the victims’ families.
Sources told Al-Joumhouria newspaper that the case of the Sidon and Deir al-Qamar Maronite Bishop Elias Nassar is taking its ecclesiastic legal course following his strong criticisms targeting Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and his calls for party members to change their leaders and elect a leader who “has no blood on his hand”.
Sources also mentioned that Bishop Nassar was informed that Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Rai signed the first decree which refers him to the ecclesiastic court and that trial was to begin next week.
“The case can be considered resolved and will have no impact on the relationship between Bkerke and the Lebanese Forces who are its first defense line,” sources added.
Sources informed Al-Joumhouria newspaper that STL President Judge Sir David Baragwanath warned Lebanese officials of the consequences of the reluctance in funding Lebanon’s share to which it committed in the tribunal’s annual budget for this year.
“The risk is that the tribunal ceases after its first scheduled trial session if the funding issue is not resolved,” he said.
Sources also mentioned that Caretaker Prime Minister Mikati vowed to fund the tribunal within the pre-set deadline pointing that Lebanon is able to secure the funding but that there was an obstacle delaying the matter amid questions concerning the possibility of the existence of the mentioned fund and the dispensing ability.