Lebanese premier accuses Hezbollah of blocking government
BEIRUT -- Lebanon's prime minister-designate on Tuesday accused Hezbollah of hindering the formation of a new government six months after parliamentary elections were held, a reflection of growing tensions amid serious concerns over the country's faltering economy.
At a press conference in Beirut, Saad Hariri said "it's Hezbollah, full stop," when asked who was blocking the formation of a government. He said the Shiite militant group bears full responsibility for the consequences, including Lebanon's flagging economy.
Hariri stopped short of resigning, however, saying there was still an opportunity to bridge the differences.
Hariri, the top Sunni Muslim leader in the country, is coming under increasing pressure from the Iranian-backed Shiite Hezbollah, which insists that six Sunni legislators allied with Hezbollah be represented in the new Cabinet. Hariri flatly rejects the demand, saying the six independent legislators are not part of a parliamentary bloc and are therefore not entitled to have a minister in the cabinet.
