President Aoun asks security to prevent road blocks -statement

Lebanese security and army authorities should not allow road blocks, for the safety and security of citizens and protesters, a statement by the presidency after a high-level meeting on Monday said.

 

The meeting, headed by President Michel Aoun and attended by caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab, cabinet ministers and security and financial officials, follows seven days of protests across the country. 

 

President Michel Aoun said at the beginning of the meeting that the latest financial and security situation needs to be addressed quickly, “because we are witnessing an unjustified rise in the dollar’s exchange rate in conjunction with rumors aimed at striking the national currency and destabilizing it.”

 

Demonstrators angry at the country's economic downturn have blocked roads with burning tires.

 

The protests, which started on Tuesday, followed the Lebanese pound's tumble to more than 10,000 per dollar.

 

The meeting attendees also decided to order security forces to crack down on anyone "violating the monetary and credit" law, including foreign exchange bureaus, the statement said. 

 

For his part, Diab noted during the meeting that “the situation we have reached is extremely dangerous,” adding that “some sides are manipulating the exchange rate of the US dollar as they like, and control the fate of the country.”

 

 

 

 

LBCI/REUTERS