Minister Bassil blames government for ongoing Syrian refugee crisis

Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil blamed on Tuesday the Lebanese government for the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, urging it to take immediate measures to combat its dangers.

Bassil’s comments were made during a speech at the concluding session of a conference on the return of Syrian refugees to their country.

 

For his part, Social Affairs Minister Rachid Derbass said that the influx of Syrian refugees to Lebanon is “a catastrophe that hit Lebanon.”

 

Meanwhile, European Union's ambassador to Lebanon Christina Lassen noted that the EU is keen on Lebanon’s stability, adding that the presence of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon is only “temporary.”

 

This as UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag said during the event that they are committed to helping Lebanon.

 

The head of the Maronite League Antoine Klimos called on the Lebanese state to control the Syrian-Lebanon borders to curb the entry of more refugees.

 

Lebanon has been hosting around 1.1 million registered Syrian refugees since the start of the crisis in Syria in 2011. This huge influx of refugees has put enormous burdens on the country’s economy, security and infrastructure.