Interior Minister in the caretaker government, Bassam Mawlawi, stated that "we cannot remain lax regarding the Syrian presence in Lebanon, and we have instructed all municipalities that we will hold accountable anyone who is negligent towards their people and towns." During a meeting to discuss and evaluate the steps related to the Syrian displacement crisis, Mawlawi emphasized that "we will not allow random Syrian presence in Lebanon, and we must determine the number of Syrians residing in each apartment and we will not permit more than one family to reside in it."
He said, "A large number of various and serious crimes are committed by Syrians in Lebanon, exceeding 30 percent, and this issue necessitates cooperation to preserve our environment and the image and identity of our country. Our demand is not to organize the Syrian presence, but our demand is to reduce the Syrian presence."
Mawlawi added, "We request municipalities to provide a periodic report every 15 days about what they have done concerning the Syrian presence in terms of addressing violations and removing encroachments."
He announced that "we will not accept overlooking the interests of our country in exchange for certain aid or money paid from any source." Regarding the situation in Palestinian camps in Lebanon, Mawlawi reassured everyone that all security agencies are performing their duties effectively.
