President Michel Aoun addressed the Lebanese people in a speech he delivered on Thursday, saying that the current scene in the streets proves that freedoms in Lebanon are preserved, but unfortunately the situation should have not reached this state.
“Since I became president, I took an oath to protect Lebanon and I have been committed to fighting corruption fiercely; I managed to take Lebanon toward a safe harbor in terms of security and stability and the financial and economic concerns remained. My greater aspiration was to eliminate the sectarian notion, which has ruled over the country since its establishment,” he said, calling for a civil state where all the citizens are equals before the law.
“The reform paper that was announced will be the first step to save Lebanon from financial collapse,” he noted, adding that everyone who stole public funds must be held accountable.
Aoun expressed support for the proposals presented on lifting banking secrecy from presidents, ministers, and ending immunity for ministers and MPs.
Addressing the protesters, the president said that “your shouts will not be wasted,” promising that he will be the guarantor for implementing protester demands.
In this regard, he said he was ready for dialogue with protesters to find the best solution for saving the country from financial collapse and said it was necessary to reconsider the current governmental state so that the executive authority will be able to continue assuming its duties, through established constitutional principles.