The Kataeb party on Tuesday held a meeting wiith Members of the European Parliament from the European People’s Party’s parliamentary group at the party’s headquarters in Saifi to discuss the recent developments in Lebanon.

 

The meeting is part of the continuous cooperation between the Kataeb and the EPP, which started in 2016 when the Kataeb Party was admitted as a partner to the EPP under its neighborhood program.

 

The meeting was attended from the EPP side by 27 members including French politician Franck Proust and politicians from Italy, Greece, Belgium, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Latvia, Belarus and Cyprus as well as a group of presidents and executives of major European strategic and development institutions in Europe and the Middle East.

 

Talks were also attended by Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel, Former Economy Minister Alain Hakim, Head of the Health Council Bernard Jerbaka, Kataeb’s Information Council Head Patrick Richa, the party’s Foreign Affairs officer Marwan Abdallah and the party’s Foreign Affairs Coordinator Dr. Michel Abou Abdallah, Head of the Kataeb’s Economic and Social Council Jean Tawile who introduced a plan to revive the Lebanese economy.

 

Nazih Adem, father of Beirut blast victim Christelle Adem who explained the sufferings of the families of the victims also was present at the meeting.

 

Head of the delegation Franck Proust affirmed that there is a deep issue related with the political and economic management of the country, saying that the collapse of the Lebanese pound and the inflation disproportionally affected the middle class.

 

Proust praised the Kataeb party for proposing plans to overcome Lebanon’s challenging situation, stressing the importance of changing the way of addressing the country’s files.

 

He also slammed the government for its failure in tackling the Beirut blast case, saying that it lacks transparency.

 

“Families of the blast victims are daily suffering and they deserve to know the truth and hold accountable every responsible,” he added.

 

“Lebanon is the state of stability and democracy and its collapse will have a negative impact in the region,” he said.

 

For his part, Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel stressed the importance of the cooperation between the Kataeb party and the European People’s Party, saying that the meeting aimed to explain the sufferings of the Lebanese people.

 

“The meeting tackled the importance of accountability and justice concerning the Beirut port explosion. The alliance between the militia and the ruling elite is preventing justice and truth as it is pressuring the Lebanese judiciary. We will keep on fighting so as to liberate the judiciary from the political control,” he noted.

Gemayel warned against any attempt to postpone the May legislative elections, deeming the postponement of the municipal elections as a crime against the democracy.

 

“Elections will be held on time and the Lebanese people will prove authority’s incompetence in the ballot boxes. We also called for an organized, effective international supervision,” he said.

 

At the end of the meeting, a wreath was laid at the commemorative plaque where Former Kataeb Secretary-General Nazar Najarian died in the Beirut explosion.