The Political Council of the "Free Patriotic Movement" convened its regular meeting and discussed its agenda, issuing the following statement:
1. Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the crime of the Beirut Port explosion, for which the course of justice has been obstructed due to deliberate decisions made by those responsible for shackling the judicial investigator, including politicians and judges, among them the Supreme Court and its president, who should be a source of solution and not part of the problem. The Free Patriotic Movement, while reaffirming its solidarity with the victims' families, confirms its readiness to do everything in its power to uncover the truth and hold accountable those proven responsible for the crime. Just as it calls for unshackling the investigation, issuing the indictment, and stopping the obstruction of the Court of Cassation, the Movement considers the continued unjust detention of individuals without trial to be an ongoing crime for which the law and conscience hold accountability, and it is time to end this assault on people's freedoms and rights.
2. The Free Patriotic Movement demands the expeditious passage of four reform laws in the Parliament for signing the final agreement with the International Monetary Fund, in addition to other reform laws such as the recovery of transferred funds, ensuring that these reforms are genuine, not merely formal; thus, full banking secrecy should be lifted retroactively and prospectively from public service officials. In this context, the expedited law proposed by the bloc during the amendment of the banking secrecy law comes into play. Besides the required reform laws, reform is not limited to them, as transitioning to a sound economy necessitates reassessing the size of the public sector for its rationalization, developing the existing competencies, activating oversight bodies to curb corruption, implementing automation plans, and restructuring the Central Bank to reshape the banking sector.
3. The Free Patriotic Movement holds the designated Prime Minister responsible for trivializing the constitution and ignoring the country's conditions by refusing to take the necessary steps to form a government, without which reforms will not proceed, and Lebanon will not receive the required support. This deliberate obstruction of the government formation process is a crime against the Lebanese who have had their deposits stolen and are being denied basic needs. Hence, the designated Prime Minister bears a large share of the responsibility for the disaster caused by the electricity shortage, not only because he previously obstructed the plan's implementation but also because he currently rejects any proposed solutions or aid and hides behind flimsy excuses to protect his interests rather than those of the Lebanese people. The President's actions and positions invite suspicion, as he does not allow the Ministry of Energy to provide solutions to the electricity crisis and refuses to carry out what is required to activate the judiciary regarding the port crime, hindering every step that could mitigate the damage of the continued tenure of the Central Bank Governor, who faces accumulating cases and complaints both abroad and domestically. Above all, he refrains from seriously forming a government, resonating with the saying of His Beatitude Patriarch Al-Rai that the assignment has no value without formation.
4. The Movement closely follows the negotiation process regarding maritime border demarcation with Israel, ensuring Lebanon's rights to extract the gas hidden beneath its economic waters. The Movement emphasizes that the maritime equation established by Lebanon, as a state and resistance, will take effect based on the principle that there will be no gas from Karish without gas from Qana. The Movement commends the President's success in leading negotiations and highlighting Lebanon's unified stance, while also emphasizing the importance of the resistance's position in strengthening the state's negotiating power.
5. The actions taken by the Chairman of the Middle East Airlines' Board of Directors to selectively and arbitrarily prohibit alcohol during flights are rejected in form and substance, signaling a change in social behavior rules and Lebanese customs, thereby infringing upon individual and public freedoms protected by the constitution, especially since citing financial conditions is unconvincing as the company charges ticket prices in fresh dollars for both economy and business classes. There is no justification for not providing alcohol as historically customary; this constitutes an infringement on passenger rights. The Movement also blames Mohammad El-Hout for the smuggling of the company’s funds abroad at a time when ticket fees are collected in dollars, while failing to provide necessary support for the Lebanese University, which is on the brink of collapse.
6. The Movement reiterates its firm stance on the necessity of holding presidential elections on time according to the constitution, respecting the national political will expressed by the Lebanese during parliamentary elections and the established principle of respecting the true representation of those holding constitutional positions, foremost the presidency. If the principle of respecting popular representation is disregarded, then what is the purpose of democracy, elections, political work, and the existence of parties? The Movement insists on holding presidential elections on time before October 31, and is particularly committed to ensuring that whoever takes the position of the presidency possesses the primary merit of popular representation.
