BEIRUT — Former prime minister Saad Hariri Wednesday denied seeking a return to his previous position, criticizing the current government for its feeble attempts at reform.

“I do not seek to return,” Hariri said in a news conference following a visit with Elias Audi, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church, a report in The Daily Star said.

“What I’m saying is that any premier in power must have the capabilities to be able to work and these capabilities require several factors, including the presence of experts who know the affairs of their ministries and not merely technocrat ministers,” Hariri said.

“Real reform does not take place according to what every person wants,” Hariri said, stressing that reforms should be implemented based on “scientific foundations.”

“Today the country is reeling under the weight of a very big crisis, economically, politically and socially. Unfortunately, instead of the gap narrowing, we see it deepening more with this government, especially with regard to the economic situation,” he said.

Hariri’s comments come after calls for Cabinet change have gained ground in recent weeks due to the current government’s failure to resolve the crisis.

Hariri resigned last October under pressure of an unprecedented nationwide popular uprising that demanded, among other things, the government’s resignation, a change of the country’s confessional-based ruling system and the ouster of the entrenched political elite blamed by protesters for corruption and mismanagement. — Agencies