Interior and Municipalities Minister Raya al-Hassan stressed that “the cabinet is the appropriate place to deal with the crisis of the Syrian refugees and the development of an integrated strategy that takes into account the decisions of the Higher Defense Council and the steps necessary to begin implementation, especially in terms of determining the role of municipalities in addressing this crisis.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, the minister said that “there is a national consensus confirming the need to close all illegal shops and practice intolerance towards Syrians who are performing any kind of work on Lebanese territory without obtaining the necessary permits.”
"However, this issue should not be addressed with a sectarian and populist background and for partisan and personal purposes," al-Hassan added, stating that the approach to be adopted must be within the framework of the relevant constitutional institutions, especially the Interior and Municipalities Ministry, which is concerned with regulating the work of municipalities and maintaining public order within their respective domains.