The Political Council of the "Free Patriotic Movement" held an extraordinary electronic meeting chaired by MP Gibran Bassil to discuss the first draft of the "Movement's" internal workshop in preparation for the national conference on March 14.
The Council issued a statement urging the relevant authorities to tighten the measures taken to limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, requesting the caretaker government to provide support for Lebanese citizens affected by the general lockdown, especially the needy. The statement warned the Lebanese people of the necessity and obligation to live with strict preventive measures and not to rely solely on vaccines that are still in trial phases amid the spread of the mutated coronavirus.
The Council called on the designated Prime Minister Saad Hariri to recognize the seriousness of the current stagnation and the negative implications of failing to form a government, which requires more than ever a high degree of national support and solidarity. It pointed out the importance of adhering to the principles of the covenant and the constitution and ceasing attempts to monopolize the political rights of any Lebanese component, reminding that the era of external guardianship has ended and that it's an illusion for some to try replacing it with internal dominance.
The statement expressed regret over the declining level of political discourse among some with ill intentions and hateful actions, whether by repeatedly commenting on the President's age in an unethical manner or by attempting to drive a wedge between the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Army, from which the Movement emerged through legitimate struggles against the militia system, emphasizing that no one can separate it from the military institution.
The statement continued that it is morally corrupt for those who have committed killings, exile, and abduction, and who have attacked the army, seized its equipment and barracks, and established their own security while refusing legitimate security, to give lessons in patriotism. It condemned the system that undermined legitimacy and seized the country's resources, which for 15 years established a corrupt rule leading to the state's collapse, fearing and rejecting what President Aoun represents in terms of values and the legitimacy of the state, as well as his insistence on implementing auditing and accountability. Therefore, this system is once again attempting to thwart him and turn back the clock, which will never be accepted.
The Political Council warned that halting the moral, financial, and economic collapse requires the judiciary to boldly investigate all corruption files and prosecute those involved without delay in addressing documented lawsuits brought before the judiciary to recover embezzled and selectively granted funds, which has deprived Lebanese citizens of a large portion of their deposits and created a gap in the central bank's accounts that must be clarified through forensic auditing.
The statement affirmed that the rights of the Lebanese people are sacred, whether concerning their money in banks or their properties, stating that there is no excuse for anyone who steals their hard work domestically or for anyone attempting to steal their oil and water from abroad.
