Suleiman Says Dialogue, Baabda Declaration Save Lebanon from Crisis, Urges 'Fair' Rulings in Bombing Cases
President Michel Suleiman assured on Tuesday that the current crisis in Lebanon can only be dealt with by “committing to unity and adopting the Baabda Declaration.”
"The Syrian crisis is causing many problems in Lebanon and those can only be dealt with by committing to out unity and to the Baabda Declaration,” Suleiman said in a speech he gave at an event marking the 5oth anniversary of the Institute of Judicial Studies.
He added: “Sooner or later this stage will come to an end dialogue and cooperation will prevail.”
“Collaborating together reduces the problems affecting us.”
The head of the state stressed that preserving the Lebanese “democratic system requires our solidarity and religious coexistence.”
“Let us avoid destroying what we had built by boycotting parliamentary sessions and the formation of the new cabinet or by not providing the necessary quorum to elect a new president of the constitutional council.”
“We have to prove that we deserve this country and its unique political system in this turbulent East,” he expressed.
Suleiman also tackled the judicial system in his speech, calling for adopting “fair” rulings against assailants accused of planning and executing the bombings of the northern city of Tripoli and the Beirut suburb of Dahieh.
“It is urgent to prosecute, in cooperation with military forces, the suspects behind the kidnapping crimes, attacks against the army and those who killed the four judges (in the southern city of Sidon),” Suleiman stated.
The president, however, admitted that many problems face the judicial system in the country.
“The judicial system must work on fixing its problems and this is the duty of the Justice Minister and judicial committees. This would be done by reviving the work of the Disciplinary Board and implementing article 95 and adopting other measure that safeguard the judicial system's integrity.”
He addressed judges urging them not to let fear or temptation affect their decisions.
“You issue decisions in the name of the Lebanese people,” he pointed out.
He added: “We must work on pending issues such as the situation of prisons in Lebanon and other cases that have an influence on the image of the judicial system in the country.”
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