BEIRUT: Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Monday that a list of public sector appointments is almost ready.

“A list of the first batch of appointments is almost ready and the final touches will be put soon in preparation for its approval during the Cabinet session,” Mikati said in a Twitter post Monday.

The long-awaited appointments in the civil service and the diplomatic corps are likely to be included on the Cabinet’s agenda next week, local media reported.

The delay in appointments has been attributed to disputes between political parties, especially Christian groups, about which candidates to fill the vacant government posts.

The March 14 alliance has called for depoliticizing the public sector appointments. The coalition argues that the March 8 alliance is attempting to recruit individuals who will serve its agenda in the years to come and argues that a merit system should be adopted in the selection process.