Member of the "Strong Republic" bloc, MP Ziad Hawat, stated in an interview with "Lebanon Free" radio that "in light of the failure of consecutive governments over the past five years to control borders and the smuggling of goods that have cost the Lebanese state billions of dollars in losses, whether from Lebanon to abroad or the opposite, there is also the issue of human smuggling, specifically of Syrians who have become a ticking time bomb in every Lebanese city and village, where their number has exceeded half of the Lebanese residents. This is an economic, financial, social, and security catastrophe, as Lebanon cannot bear this number of Syrians."
He noted that "neither the infrastructure nor the already faltering economic and financial capabilities can handle this enormous number of Syrians, in addition to the security risks prevalent in all Lebanese areas." Hawat mentioned that he has communicated with most municipalities in the district and local leaders and reached an understanding with them, stating: "In light of the state's failure and the fragmentation of official institutions, municipalities have a primary role in controlling and curbing this presence," urging "the people of Jbeil and all Lebanese not to cover for or hire any Syrian to work for them without legal documents, as this would make them complicit in undermining what remains of this country's future."
He expressed that "in the absence of responsible officials in this state who take on their national responsibilities, we should not rely on the state in light of the current presidential vacuum and a caretaker government that does not fulfill its duties." He emphasized "that we are not racists at all, but we will be vigilant against any citizen who enters Lebanon illegally, without identification papers, and threatens our security, the entity of our nation, and the future of our children. As MPs and political forces, we will stand by the municipalities to manage this issue and ensure the minimum level of public and personal safety for each of our children."
