Lebanese Ministry of Information
The Council of Ministers decided during its session held today in Baabda Palace, to extend the state of public mobilization until July 5, included. The council also asked the Council for Development and Reconstruction, to prepare an evaluation report within 15 days on the wast sorting and treatment contracts in the governorates of Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and Keserwan from 2019 until today.
The President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, pointed out during the session to the campaigns that are blaming “the authority and the government for the causes of the current crisis, at a time when everyone knows that neither I ( the president) nor you ( cabinet ) are the cause of this crisis.
He said : “It is a very unfortunate and cannot be tolerated to keep bearing these accusations against us. Yesterday I explained in a statement of my position and asked when was my approach unconstitutional? I exercise my full powers and know the powers of everyone, especially the Council of Ministers.”
He called on the ministers for solidarity and response in an “objective, reflective and highly professional manner.”
As for Prime Minister Hassan Diab, he touched on the political targeting of the government, while it is daily monitors the living conditions. He confirmed that the second batch of financial aid had started to be distributed after the number of the beneficiaries was expanded. He added that “people are supposed to witness within days, a noticeable decline in food prices, and a gradual return to the economic cycle.”
He stressed his support to the right of protesting and understanding the cry of people, but “ there is fear of attempts to invest this action in politics, and the demands and concerns of the people turn into a means that causes the return to blocking roads, cutting the country’s communications , closing institutions and disrupting people’s activities, and thus, dismissing employees and workers from their jobs.
He called for practicing the democratic right with calm and without riot, while taking health protection measures from Coronavirus pandemic that is still spreading until today.
The session was preceded by a meeting between the Presidents of the Republic and the Cabinet members, during which the topics on the agenda were discussed.
Minister Abdul Samad
Following the session, Minister of Information Manal Abdel Samad, addressed the reporters saying:
“The Council of Ministers held its weekly session at 11:15 am, headed by the President of the Republic, in the presence of the Prime Minister, and the ministers. Minister Tariq Al-Majzoub was absent.
The session was opened by the President of the Republic, focusing on the need to follow up the economic, financial and monetary conditions to show dawn the situation that the country is currently experiencing.
Addressing the ministers, he said: “It is regrettable that the public opinion listens daily to campaigns against us about the causes of the current crisis, at a time when everyone knows that neither I nor you are the cause of this crisis. No-one of us stole public money and no one can accuse us of such actions. I read the newspapers and follow television stations, the accusation are very unfortunate and cannot be tolerated, bearing the accusations directed against us. You should be in solidarity with one another and respond to all accusations leveled against you. You are not responsible for what happened in the country as a result of years of chaos, waste, and neglect, and your responses should be objective and reflect high moral and professional levels ”
The Prime minister said: From the first day this government was formed, I was targeted, and judged in advance. Unfortunately, this targeting was political, although we said that we do not want to drown in politics, and that we have come to work on the country’s accumulated files, and we have huge and tough mission, and its goal is to save the country and reduce the speed of the collapse and the extent of its repercussions on the people. Certainly we understand the demands of the Lebanese, and we know the size of social and living pressures on them. Therefore, we work day and night to alleviate the suffering of the people. The government monitors the daily developments of the livelihood issues. Financial assistance bases of the beneficiaries has been expanded according to field studies carried out by the Lebanese army, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior across the municipalities and the mayors. People are supposed to notice within days, a decline in food prices, and a gradual return to the economic cycle after we allowed the opening of a large number of institutions in order to preserve the attendance of work to their jobs.
We understand the cry of people, who are feeling the brunt of their social situation. But the fear is that attempts will be made to employ this cry into politics, and the people’s demands and concerns will turn into a means that will once again lead to road blocking, dismemberment of the country, closure of institutions, disrupting people’s activities and thus the dismissal of employees and workers from their jobs. We are with the right to demonstrate, but this right Should not turn into chaos by blocking roads and vandalizing public and private property. I do not think that any Lebanese accepts these practices that do not resemble a democratic expression. We have no problem getting people off the street, but there must be a commitment to 5 conditions:
1- No roads are blocked.
2- No violations of state property and people’s property.
3- No clash with the lebanese army, security forces, and the military and security services.
4- No clash with people who want to go to work.
5- Masks are obligatory to protect people and their families from the Coronavirus.
We can exercise our democratic right In a calm manner without riot, even if this expression carries political dimensions, and it is absolutely necessary that health protection measures are taken from the pandemic that is still spreading until today. We are today extending the state of public mobilization, in the hope that we will reach the stage where we can be assured that people have become safe away from negligence that may lead to a new wave of spreading.
The cabinet studied its agenda, and took the appropriate decisions, which included:
1- Approving the Supreme Defense Council on extending the mobilization from June 8 to July 5, 2020
2- Maintaining the economic activities that were allowed to gradually return within its scope and in accordance with the time stages referred to in Article 2 of Decree No. 6251/2020 and within specific conditions based on the following criteria: distancing, number of mixing, possibility of adjustment, level of priority and potential risks.
3- Demanding all military and security forces to be strictly deterrent, in order to suppress violations, which prevent the spreading of the virus.
4- The media, is thanked for its cooperation with the security and health services and local authorities, is asked to continue the positive awareness and prevention campaigns.
The Council of Ministers listened to a presentation by the Minister of Industry on the plan for industrial advancement and strategic axes for the development of the industrial sector. The Council also listened to a presentation by the Minister of Environment on the road map 2020-2025 for Integrated Solid Waste Management. The Council decided to request from the Council for Development and Reconstruction to prepare an evaluation report within a Period of 15-day on sorting and treatment contracts in the governorates of Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and Keserwan from 2019 until today.
The Minister of Social Affairs gave a presentation on the National Social Solidarity Program NSSP, the ESSNP Emergency Safety Program, and the NPTP Program targeting the poorest families.
The Council of Ministers appointed the Secretary-General of the Council, Judge Mahmoud Makiye, to chair the Civil Service Council, until the appointment of a president.–Presidency Press Office
NNA
