The President of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Jaja, confirmed during a meeting with a delegation from the American Task Force for Lebanon in Ma'arab the critical current phase and the Lebanese people's urgent need for a genuine, not a symbolic, president for the country. He stated that the situation can no longer tolerate the exhausting experiments that the Lebanese have grown tired of, as they have proven to be failures and brought us to our current state.
A discussion was held regarding the required presidential candidate, where Jaja emphasized to the delegation that "we are facing a decisive and critical moment, which requires us to elect a president with a sovereignty and reform agenda, capable of bearing the burdens of the country and placing it on the path of salvation, rather than choosing individuals with good qualities, of whom there are many."
The issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon was addressed, where Jaja stressed the necessity of finding an effective solution to this pressing matter, starting with the authorities taking responsibility and controlling the movement across borders, and addressing the displacement issue arising from the deteriorating economic conditions in Syria. This includes the need to redefine those among the actual refugees and others who can return to areas in Syria that have become safe, leading to redirecting others to friendly Arab countries capable of accommodating them, especially since Lebanon's capacity to bear the burdens of its people and institutions has been exceeded due to the financial crisis.
Regarding negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, Jaja and MP Ghassan Hasbani explained the government's lack of action and attempts to evade responsibility in this area, blaming the parliament. They noted that the Strong Republic Bloc would directly address the World Bank while simultaneously working within parliamentary committees to prepare the necessary laws for immediate and rapid approval after the election of a new president and the restoration of institutional functioning.
In the issue of municipal and optional elections, Jaja conveyed a message to the delegation emphasizing the importance of conducting these elections on time as stipulated in the constitution and not creating excuses to evade responsibility for this matter. He urged the allocation of the necessary amount from the special drawing rights set by the World Bank for this purpose, as municipalities are a vital necessity for citizens, and postponing the elections would lead to severe consequences that directly affect people's daily lives.
The meeting included former ambassador Ed Gabriel, Mike Ahmar, Tom Abraham, Ahmed Boumrourd, Michel Chamas, Jay Ghazal, Nassim al-Haffar, Kamal Shehayeb, Adi Ayoub, Adib Qseis, Shayan Maouad, and James McLellan, alongside members of the Strong Republic Bloc, MPs Ghassan Hasbani, Ghada Ayoub, Fadi Karam, Elias Stefan, and Said Asmar, as well as former Minister of Foreign Relations Richard Kiyomjian and Central Council member Mark Saad. The members of the bloc informed the visiting delegation about legislative projects related to life and developmental issues.
