Kataeb party on Tuesday called on all blocs to circumvent Nawaf Salam to head the upcoming government, stressing the importance of choosing an independent figure capable of extricating Lebanon from its Arab and international isolation and saving it from the prevailing destructive approach.

“We call upon all the blocs that seek change to go to the consultations on Thursday with a unified vision as the country can no longer miss opportunities. The results of Thursday’s consultations will have fateful repercussions that would shape our country’s future. Either Lebanon will have a government free from personal interests, Hezbollah’s hegemony and capable of taking immediate measures to curb the deterioration, or else chaos will prevail,” read a statement issued by the Kataeb political bureau following its meeting at the Independence Museum in Haret Sakher.

The political bureau deemed the presidential and governmental elections as an opportunity to change the way of approaching challenges by electing competent people who would put the interests of the country above all considerations and exert their utmost efforts to cater to the needs of the Lebanese people.

 “Lebanon needs to be saved from this deteriorated situation as chaos had prevailed and the Lebanese are experiencing unending challenges. Flour is missing, and the bundle of bread is being sold on the black market in some areas. Medicine is cut off and patients are dying in their homes unable to bear the costs of treatment. Fuel and generator prices are soaring, consuming up the salaries of the Lebanese who are drowning successively in darkness. Moreover, public administrations are closed due to the strike of employees,” it pointed out.

“According to the Appeals Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (“STL”) resolution concerning Rafik Hariri Assassination, we, as Kataeb party claim notifying the abstract of judgment to the three accused perpetrators and call them upon to surrender,” it stressed.

“Failing to do so, the political party to which perpetrators are affiliated shall hand them over for the enforcement of the sentence issued. Else, Lebanon will be classified as a country that doesn’t abide by the international law nor system,” it said.

The Appeals Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (“STL”) unanimously sentenced Hassan Habib Merhi and Hussein Hassan Oneissi to life imprisonment after convicting them of being co-perpetrators of the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Mr. Rafik Hariri and others beyond a reasonable doubt. In a similar context, governmental measures are not yet executed against the other convicted killer Salim Ayyash who was accused of guilty beyond reasonable doubt as a co-perpetrator of a terrorist attack and intentional homicide of Mr. Rafik Hariri by the Trial Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon after long waiting for 2 years.

The Kataeb party harshly condemned the continuous siege imposed on the investigations related to Beirut port’s explosion after the Minister of Finance joined the obstructive political bodies.

“Instead of liberating the Ministry of Finance from any political supervision, it has not been preserved from becoming a senior ministry sealing to just hamper national issues. According to the conduct of the Minister of Finance, the Ministry has gained power over other ministries, Prime Minister, and the President reaching the judicial authority. Thus, this violates the principle of separation of powers and manipulates the constitutional judicial independence,” it concluded.