Kataeb Lawmaker Selim Sayegh indicated that the recent parliamentary delegation's visit to Brussels was highly significant, given that the Belgian capital is one of the important decision-making centers, especially regarding discussions on the Syrian presence in Lebanon.

"Brussels serves as the headquarters of the European Union, and Europe holds a pivotal role in global migration issues. The parliamentary delegation carried both a Lebanese and a European agenda to Brussels because we are close to the European Parliament elections. Through the outcomes we achieved, we managed to reintroduce Lebanon into the European political agenda. Additionally, we insisted that major parties include addressing Lebanon's issues in their programs and electoral campaigns," Sayegh said in an interview with Voice of Lebanon radio station.

"We fortified our internal stance in the parliament when we adopted a recommendation to repatriate Syrians to their country, which was translated into several foreign languages and submitted to decision-makers in Europe," he noted.

"We understand that Europeans have their own problems and do not want more Syrians in their countries. However, what is happening in Lebanon is no longer just a process of impoverishment but an identity issue, given the large numbers of Syrians. We are working with Europeans to increase incentives for Syrians to ensure their return to their homeland and shed light on them to encourage their repatriation," he explained.

"We have taken Lebanese decisions in parliament and the government to repatriate the displaced to their country, and we have requested assistance from international bodies and the United Nations to help us enforce Lebanese laws, away from granting privileges to foreigners at the expense of citizens," Sayegh stressed.

He stated that the delegation requested European assistance to enable the Lebanese army to protect and close the borders against illegal entry into Lebanon.

"We were firm during our European visit regarding the Syrian refugee crisis. However, the Party of European Socialists (PES) sought to link the reform file with the issue of Syrian return, which we rejected in Brussels. We demanded the separation of the political file from the humanitarian one," he said.

"Syrians in Lebanon are no longer political migrants but rather economic ones working in Lebanon with privileges not enjoyed by Lebanese citizens. They earn dollars that they send to their country through illegal exchange, competing unfairly with Lebanese workers. We demanded assistance in creating job markets in Syria to ensure their return and full enforcement of labor laws on them," he went on saying.

He added that there has been a commitment from major parties in the European Parliament to address the Syrian issue in Lebanon.

"If the Kataeb Party hadn't filed an appeal on the eve of the 2018 parliamentary elections to invalidate Article 49 of the General Budget Law at the time, which paved the way for implicit naturalization by granting residency to anyone who purchases residential property in Lebanon, we would now be facing an even bigger dilemma," Sayegh affirmed.

Regarding the escalating tensions in southern Lebanon, Sayegh urged the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701 in a bid to achieve stability.

"If Israel launches a preemptive war, it will be a strike to eradicate any potential threat, and the issue of tunnels falls under the framework of preemptive war. As for the preemptive war, Israel is currently conducting it through assassinations and strikes against Hezbollah movements that prepare rocket launches and other operations," he explained.

"If Israel mixes between preemptive and preventive wars, all of Lebanon will be exposed to retaliatory operations against Hezbollah," he affirmed.

"Today, we understand that the Lebanese army and UNIFIL withdrew from the security front with the onset of clashes south of the Litani River. However, we had a commitment from the army that it would not allow security breaches and turning all of Lebanon into a war zone," he added.

"Today in Lebanon, there is no consensus on starting a war, and the people of the Jbeil and Keserwan regions agree that their areas are not platforms for missile launches or war zones," he indicated.

"We reject giving Israel excuses to strike Lebanon, and in the event of a larger and comprehensive war on the Lebanese territory, there will be significant difficulties in reconstruction," Sayegh concluded.