Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri accused on Tuesday Hezbollah of delaying the formation of the government, saying that Hezbollah should bear the consequences of the delay.
"The country ran into obstacles after the speech of Hezbollah's leader ... I regret that Hezbollah has prevented the formation of the government," Hariri said during a press conference in downtown Beirut.
Hezbollah, a Shiite Islamic political party in Lebanon, has strongly backed the demand of its allied independent Sunni lawmakers to get a cabinet portfolio, which Hariri has declined.
Last Saturday, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah reaffirmed his party's support for the demand by the six Sunni lawmakers from outside Hariri's Future Movement.
"We will not join any government in which the six independent Sunni MPs are not represented," Nasrallah said, shattering hopes for the formation of a government soon.
In his speech, Hariri said that he has made clear from the beginning his stance of refusing to give cabinet portfolio to the six independent Sunni lawmakers.
Hariri also refuted allegations that he is trying to monopolize the whole Sunni sect for himself.
"The problems the country will face are Hezbollah's responsibilities," he said.
Hariri stressed that according to the constitution, the Prime Minister-designate should form a cabinet with the president without the intervention of any third party.
Lebanon has been struggling to form a government since Hariri was designated Prime Minister in May. The formation of government has been facing various hurdles, mainly differences among parties over the representation in the new government.
(Editor:王苏)