Lebanon postpones forming government as anniversary of Beirut blast nears

Beirut, Aug 2 (EFE).- Lebanon’s prime minister-designate Najib Mikati on Monday postponed the formation of a government as he lost hope of achieving it before the first anniversary of the Beirut explosion on 4 August.

 Following a meeting with President Michel Aoun, Mikati stressed that his aim is to form a government as soon as possible to alleviate the serious crisis the country has been experiencing.

“The window (for the formation of the government) has a limit for me and whoever wants to understand understands,” Mikati said after the meeting.

Lebanon has been run by a caretaker government since Hassan Diab stepped down in the wake of the explosion that left 200 dead, 7,000 injured and 300,000 people homeless.

The two politicians, however, did not reveal whether or not they had discussed plans for the first anniversary of the tragedy.

The interior ministry, meanwhile, said that measures are being taken to “maintain security” on the day of the tragic anniversary as large civil mobilization is expected.

“The military and security forces will work to prevent security breaches,” said the office of the caretaker interior minister, Mohammed Fahmi.

In mid-July, several people were injured in clashes between security forces and families of the victims who tried to storm into Fahmi’s house to demand justice. EFE

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