BEIRUT, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said on Wednesday that any further delay in government formation would be considered "a national crime," the National News Agency (NNA) reported.
"We should form a government urgently after Moody's report," Berri was quoted by the NNA as saying during his weekly meeting with lawmakers.
On Monday, Global credit rating agency Moody's downgraded Lebanon's long-term investment rating from B3 to Caa1, a move that reflects an increased likelihood that the country will undertake a debt rescheduling or other measures Moody's may consider as a default.
Berri said Prime Minister designate Saad Hariri, who started new efforts on Monday to resolve the crisis of cabinet formation, is positive that a government may be formed within a week.
Lebanon has been urged on the national and international levels to quickly form a new government to carry out structural and fiscal reforms to shore up the country's ailing economy burdened by its 84 billion U.S. dollars of public debt.
