Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel on Thursday stressed that Hezbollah wants to control the next government, saying that such a government will not be able to open channels with the international community while Lebanon is in dire need to open up so as to help it get out of its economic disaster.

“Lebanon has been in a state of threat since 2005 when political forces began to liberate and tried to impose the State’s sovereignty, first from liberating the country from the Syrian occupation and secondly from Hezbollah’s weapons,” Gemayel told al-Hadath news channel.

“The assassination of Lebanese activist Lokman Slim is a bitter reality, and we know that there is a clear threat to everyone who’s in this political site,” he said.

“There’s a security network called Hezbollah that is widely spreading and exists within the security services, exerting pressure on the Lebanese Judiciary and prevents the security forces from entering some places, which completely disrupts any access to the truth,” he added.

Gemayel stressed that the current ruling authority is complicit with Hezbollah and it is covering its performance, holding it responsible for what happened with Lokman Slim.

“If they really care about the country’s best interest, let them resign from the Parliament,” he pointed out.

“Every free Lebanese citizen has the right to express his opinion clearly without compromising, and whoever does not submit to Hezbollah’s desire by intimidation is threatened today,” he asserted.