Kataeb candidate for the Maronite seat in Metn district Elias Hankache on Thursday stressed the importance of sovereignty and state administration, saying that the ruling authority has failed to address Lebanon’s multiple crises.

 

“A national conference must be held so the political parties speak frankly as we no longer handle lies and equivocation,” Hankache said during an interview with "VDL 24", the new streaming television channel of "Voice of Lebanon, 100.5 FM".

 

“Each party has its own concerns and on this basis we can address sovereignty and state administration,” he added.

 

“We, as the Kataeb party believe that these two main issues are equally important, this is what separates us from other political parties,” he noted.

 

“ The Lebanese army is the only institution in which all the Lebanese and the international community trust as well. It is the only organ that has a consensus that it is "capable" and enjoys the confidence of the Lebanese, and the proof is the Arsal battle. The problem of the army lies in the political decision that prevents it from imposing sovereignty,” he affirmed.

 

Hankache pointed out that Hezbollah is holding sway over the state’s institutions through its weapons, saying the Lebanese army should be the only force that defends our country.

 

“Normalization with Israel is complicated, especially since part of the Lebanese suffered from the Israeli occupation, but today this trend exists globally and the armistice agreement has been suspended,” he said.

 

“Today, the basis of sovereignty is that the decision of peace and war be confined to the state, and no one, including Hezbollah, should decide to wage a war against Israel, and that this issue must be raised boldly,” he emphasized.

 

“Lebanon is condemned by those who are dragging it into foreign agendas and wars in which Lebanon has no interest. Our country’s only interest is neutrality,” he affirmed.

 

“Regarding the lifting of banking secrecy, banking secrecy is only adopted in Switzerland and we have previously submitted a proposal to lift it and called for expanding it so it won’t be limited for presidents and representatives. We seek a country where absolute transparency prevails for anyone who has a position in public affairs,” he added.

 

The Kataeb candidate stressed the 5 scenarios presented by the Kataeb party regarding the electoral law and the most appropriate one was “the One Man One Vote”, noting that this law was rejected as its results will not be as expected.

 

He stressed the importance of the voter's choice in the upcoming elections, saying that the Lebanese should be aware that they are giving the most valuable thing they have to the candidate.

 

“Lebanese should not vote for the person who provides electoral services,” he noted.

 

“Regarding the powers that were taken from the President in the Taif Agreement, It is certain that President Aoun has been suspended from several duties. Certainly, the system should not continue and Taif has not been implemented. This discretion in adopting the Lebanese constitution is in the interest of those who is controlling the authority and the entity itself is in danger,” he said.

 

“Civil marriage should be optional and is beneficial to the society so that the citizen moves from being isolated for his own interest and sect to a citizen who is open to his personal affiliations and the state's affiliations,” he noted.

 

Hankache deemed federalism as an appropriate system for Lebanon, saying that decentralization tends to have a clear and real balance of development and reduces injustice.

 

“I call for the establishment of a second airport for the northern region, and this is one of the aspects of decentralization, because we desperately need a second airport, especially with Hezbollah's security and non-security control of Beirut airport. This issue must be addressed before thinking about establishing a second airport,” he said.

 

“If I were elected for the second time I would adopt the administrative decentralization and the completion of the laws that we have previously proposed, and I will raise the issue of arms in the Parliament. We as the Kataeb party will not compromise on this issue,” he stressed.

 

"I am in favor of abolishing the death penalty because it is directed towards societal development and we must be strict with the ruling and with the adoption of most severe punishments against the perpetrators. Our Party has been working to develop systems and make reforms,” he added.

 

“On the approval of the Solid Waste Management Law, I believe that we should not talk about plans for solid waste management anymore, as there are many scenarios, but the authority is taking advantage from not solving this problem. I call for the implementation of this law starting with waste segregation at source and landfilling in uninhabited areas,” he pointed out.

 

“Regarding the electricity file, we have the honor to expose the ship deal through the speech delivered by Samy Gemayel in the Parliament. Lebanon can build electricity plants in the regions and generate 2000 megawatts and move towards renewable energy, whether air, water or solar, and take measures. I also call for the partnership between the public and private sectors,” he added.

 

Hankache also called for the independence of the Lebanese judiciary.

 

“The banks are a private sector that must be preserved. Hezbollah, the Central Bank of Lebanon and the state are all behind Lebanon’s collapse,” he concluded.