Kataeb Lawmaker Selim Sayegh indicated that the announcement of the plan for Syrians’ return to their homeland was supposed to be made last month, indicating that it was postponed due to events in the region.

“All the ideas proposed by the Kataeb Party for the return of Syrians were adopted in the parliament through a recommendation in the Foreign Relations Committee, which is represented by all Lebanese parties. We, as Kataeb Party, have remained steadfast in our position since the beginning of the Syrian war,” Sayegh said in an interview with Voice of Lebanon radio station.

“We proposed from the outset the establishment of camps under the supervision of the United Nations to preempt the entry of refugees into the fabric of Lebanese society. Based on local authorities and citizen awareness, we should aim for what is called herd immunity. What we are striving for is the enforcement of Lebanese laws to protect citizens from economic competition,” he noted.

"Our sole concern today is not organizing the stay of Syrians in Lebanon, but organizing their return to their homeland,” he added.

Sayegh highlighted the importance of electing a president as soon as possible to restore order to the institutions and resolve the crises plaguing the country.

“Today, with the worsening of the situation, there is a unified Lebanese will to return Syrians to their homeland. There are many safe areas within Syria, and those who wish to come to Lebanon must abide by the law because Lebanon is not a haven,” he pointed out.

“If a president is not elected, we will not surrender as a people. There are local authorities that should take action,” he went on saying.

“Housing attestations given by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been pre-agreed upon with the Lebanese General Security since 2016. Therefore, the international community cannot be held responsible for this step. There needs to be an understanding of the international community and distancing from conspiracy theories. Every country has its own agenda, and they believe that there can be no reconstruction of Syria until there is a change in the regime or its behavior, which has hindered the return of Syrians to their homeland,” he stressed.

“Our goal is to separate the issue of the return of Syrians from the issue of reconstruction because there are safe areas where Syrians can return. Europe refuses to accept a new wave of Syrian refugees and considers Lebanon to be a barrier to that wave. Some individuals prioritize foreign interests in the Syrian refugee issue over the higher national interest, and the relevant decisions taken by the government remain on paper,” he explained.

Regarding the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon , Sayegh revealed "The person who opened fire on the U.S. embassy infiltrated one of the nearby bushes and believed that what happened was a professional act. The timing of this act coincided with the anniversary of the bombing of the U.S. embassy in Ain el-Mreisseh. It resembles operations in the Green Zone in Iraq and carries a powerful message.”

"The firing at the U.S. embassy, according to speculations, may carry a message in response to the movements of U.S energy envoy Hochstein, who seemed comfortable in his activities in Lebanon. It could also be a message to the new embassy under construction that it will not be safe in a tense environment. Bullets fired at the U.S. embassy penetrate deep into the American security mindset. They have security and political concerns, so they may reconsider the security situation in Lebanon. In any case, there can be no stability without a lasting civil peace based on full engagement in the rule of law,” he stated.

Regarding the budget,  Sayegh stated that state resources cannot be increased from people’s pockets.

The Kataeb Lawmaker pointed out that he has not taken a definitive stance on the budget yet because it is still under consideration. However, it can be anticipated that the state is trying to cut expenses amid the collapse and is not making a concerted effort to reinstate support and implement genuine reforms.

"The government wants to increase state resources, but certainly not from the pockets of the people and producers. On the contrary, control must be tightened, and customs and borders must be regulated as soon as possible. The Parliament cannot legislate in the absence of a presidential vacuum. Therefore, we must return to the core issue, which is the election of a president,” he added.

Regarding the presidential issue, he emphasized, "A paralyzed figure cannot bring about a consensus solution presidentially."

He noted that there has been no call for dialogue, saying that it remains a proposal by the Parliament Speaker.

"Hezbollah's Secretary-General said months ago that there is no use in discussing the project of the future president and his action plan. The person is the one who imposes his project. However, vagueness and guarantees in politics with this team are empty words, similar to the time of President Aoun, who did not take any action. Therefore, these dialogues are not binding, and no one can prevent any party from engaging in dialogue, but respect for the constitution and respect for the due process should be maintained. Political discussions are a normal part of the process,” Sayegh emphasized.

"The Free Patriotic Movement is in a critical phase. It claims it wants to pass the decrees for decentralization before the presidential elections in a boycotted government, in exchange for accepting Sleiman Frangieh. The Free Patriotic Movement is trying to waste time to overthrow both Sleiman Frangieh and General Joseph Aoun. Nabih Berri has prevented the holding of sessions for three months. We, as the Kataeb Party, we are exerting our utmost efforts to help Lebanon,” he affirmed.

The Kataeb Lawmaker noted that a paralyzed entity cannot bring about a consensus presidential solution magically, affirming that the proposed dialogue in its current form is futile.

Regarding the forensic audit, Sayegh considered Alvarez & Marsal’s report to be preliminary, saying that it could potentially be embarrassing for many politicians.