The Kataeb party on Wednesday slammed the current ruling authority for its failure and irresponsibility in addressing the acute economic crisis that the Lebanese people are experiencing, deeming the unification of the opposition as only way to save the country.

“The Lebanese people should hold accountable this ruling elite and cast their votes in the ballot boxes so as to elect competent people who have the will to restore sovereignty and freedom, to provide real solutions and to put an end for compromises and suspicious projects,” read a statement issued by the Kataeb Political Bureau following its weekly meeting at the party’s headquarters in Saifi.

“After wasting two years and a half, and after squandering 20 billion dollars of the foreign currency reserves, the system has decided to discuss the Capital Control law, which, despite its importance, remains useless if it does not have an integrated rescue plan,” it noted.

“The way in which the ruling authority is handling this file reflects its irresponsibility and failure in which it is addressing the biggest crisis that our country is experiencing and that is affecting the lives of citizens and the savings of the depositors right in front the International Monetary Fund delegation, which is supposed to get answers to its conditions,” it pointed out.

 

The politburo wondered about the reason for which the system has rejected the law it has lately received, saying that its ministers are either unaware of what it happening or they want to cover themselves before the parliamentary elections.

 

“The political and financial system must provide the Lebanese with transparent and frank explanations concerning the step taken and reveal the names of those who were involved publicly, even if they are known implicitly and hold them accountable without delay,” it said regarding the decision taken by France, Germany and Luxembourg to freeze more than $130 million in assets linked to an investigation into money laundering in Lebanon.

 

The Political Bureau regreted that such initiatives were taken by foreign jurdiciaries while the Lebanese judiciary remains undermined by the random interference of the political power, saying that the Lebanese are the ones who are paying the price.

 

“Summoning Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in this suspicious timing is not an innocent act. The attack launched on the Ain El-Remmaneh area and its safe residents was reported live through the media and the participants whose identity and affilition are well-known appeared on screens during the daytime . Until now, not a single official from these groups was summoned,” it stressed.

 

The Political Bureau rejected the orchestrated intimidation campaigns against the media and the latest was the prosecution of journalist Marcel Ghanem and the Lebanese television channel MTV for defamation and slander.

 

"This measure constitutes a flagrant violation of the Lebanese Constitution that guarantees freedom of opinion and expression. All attempts to repress the freedom of expression have failed and will not succeed in silencing free voices and preventing them from speaking out the truth," it concluded.