Beirut: Lebanese Forces leader, Samir Geagea, on Friday accused the “Moumanaa” axis and the Free Patriotic Movement of persistently targeting his party, holding them responsible for Lebanon’s deterioration between 2009 and 2019 and the resulting financial and economic collapse.
According to National news agency – Lebanon, Geagea expressed his opposition to the recent proposal to raise gasoline prices and increase VAT during an interview with Free Lebanon Radio station. He claimed that while his party opposed the measures, other political blocs approved them and unjustly shifted the blame onto his party.
Geagea defended the Lebanese Forces’ decision not to resign from the government, describing it as the first in decades to address illegal arms and claiming it was free from corruption. He confirmed that his party plans to challenge specific budget provisions before the Constitutional Council, particularly those related to gasoline price hikes, and assured that they would take an appropriate stance in Parliament regarding the VAT increase.
On the topic of elections, Geagea commended Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar for adhering to constitutional deadlines and confirmed that expatriates would be able to vote abroad for 128 MPs under the current law.
Addressing the issue of arms north of the Litani, Geagea welcomed the government’s commitment to upholding state authority, though he noted that the timing of implementation might be influenced by regional developments.