The political council of the "Free Patriotic Movement" affirmed, after its regular meeting chaired by MP Gebran Bassil, that it is "making every effort to secure national consensus on a name that embodies the qualifications for the presidency at this stage and possesses a reformative and rescue vision, along with the ability to cooperate with a reformist government to face several imminent challenges and dangers, foremost among them: the mass displacement of Syrians towards Lebanon, which poses a sovereignty threat that necessitates preserving a unified, free, and independent Lebanon."
In a statement, it noted that "the financial collapse is worsening in the absence of any rescue plan. The movement is not concerned with threats or the fear of losing the paradise of governance but is focused on preserving Lebanon's existence, with governance merely a means to build the state, not an end in itself; it is a burden in the absence of success elements."
The council viewed that "the wrong choice for the presidency would have worse ramifications, possibly more dangerous than a vacuum. However, the priority remains to elect a president to form the authority and begin the rescue solution." It expressed astonishment at the "silence of the caretaker government regarding the clear American and European announcement rejecting the return of Syrian displaced persons to their country," holding the government responsible for its political decision not to implement the procedures previously adopted by councils of ministers regarding border control to prevent the suspicious influx of thousands of displaced persons.
The council reiterated that "the Free Patriotic Movement will continue to raise its voice domestically and internationally, warning of a conspiracy to inundate Lebanon with millions of Syrian displaced persons that could obliterate its existence as a state and lead to the displacement of its people or their assimilation into a new demographic structure, pleasing the nefarious plans being executed at the expense of Syria and Lebanon and in favor of those wanting to undermine stability and dismantle our countries."
It added: "We encourage the Acting Governor of the Central Bank, Wassim Mansouri, to proceed with a disclosure policy and provide all required documents to complete the forensic auditing of the Central Bank's accounts, facilitating the exposure of violations, scandals, and other files that remain hidden from public opinion, and to carry out what is required by law regarding investigations into the facts presented in the initial report by Alvarez & Marsal and to bring to the competent judiciary the responsibility for uncovering those accountable and prosecuting anyone who committed or was involved in violations of the law, causing waste and loss of depositors’ funds and the collapse of the national currency's value and the resulting tragedies for the Lebanese people. The movement also encourages the acting authority to adopt a transparent and sound monetary policy according to legal requirements and procedures."
