BEIRUT, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Christina Lassen, head of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon, urged Lebanese officials to form a new government and start with the needed economic reforms in a bid to save the country, local media reported.

"The European Union is ready to help Lebanon with these reforms," she was quoted as saying by the National News Agency during her meeting with Prime Minister designate Saad Hariri.

Lassen said that the absence of government in Lebanon is having negative repercussions on the Lebanese people.

Meanwhile, Hariri said that reforms constitute the biggest challenge for the new government.

However, he assured that Lebanon can rise again from its problems once the new government is formed.

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.

Officials and economists have on many occasions called for a quick formation of a new government in Lebanon in a bid to save the country's economic sectors from further deterioration.