BEIRUT: Prime Minister Tammam Salam scheduled a Cabinet session for Thursday after two weeks of cancellations, announcing Tuesday that the dispute over the decision making system was resolved.
In a statement released by his media office, Salam called for a session on March 5, where the agenda of the last meeting will be discussed.
Salam had suspended cabinet sessions for two weeks because of internal disputes that prevented any decrees or decisions from being issued.
Since President Michel Sleiman's term ended last May, the national unity Cabinet has been tasked with approving laws and decrees.
Unanimous consent was agreed upon as a requirement for the 24-member body to pass decrees, creating difficulties in getting decisions through the Cabinet.
In a separate but related statement Tuesday, Salam announced that the controversy over the system was resolved.
Salam said his duty was to ensure that the “government’s wheels roll smoothly and effectively."
“This goal cannot only be achieved by avoiding partisan interests, and [using] a principle of consent... that accepts disagreement without being a tool for paralysis or an excuse for disruption.”
Salam did not mention any details about the difference between the new decision making process and the previous one.
However, Al-Mustaqbal newspaper quoted sources close to Salam Sunday as saying that the new decision being developed will state that a decree will only be discarded when more than one political faction votes against it.
Education Minister Elias Bou Saab confirmed the news to Al-Mustaqbal, explaining that it would prevent factions from exchanging vetoes due to political tensions.
The sources suggested that Salam will announcement the new formula in Thursday’s session.
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