Geagea: This is our land, let EU distribute refugees on its countries
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday escalated his rhetoric regarding Lebanon’s Syrian refugee crisis, in the wake of the recent murder of LF official Pascal Sleiman at the hands of a Syrian gang.
“This land is our land and if the European Union considers the Syrian refugee file to be a humanitarian issue, then let it distribute them accordingly on all European countries,” Geagea said at a press conference in Maarab.
“What are the measures that the Free Patriotic Movement has taken since 2011 regarding the Syrian refugees issue? What did the president do as of 2016 with a ministerial and parliamentary majority? Deception is the nature of the FPM and before it accuses us of anything, let it tell us what it has done in this file,” Geagea added.
“Some are voicing the excuse that the number of municipal policemen is not enough to address the Syrian refugee problem, but we are ready to offer volunteers to work on this file in all regions, and from now on we won’t remain silent over any shortcomings or negligence,” the LF leader went on to say.
Responding to caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi’s remarks about rejecting so-called “self-security,” Geagea said: “Mr. Minister, we are all against self-security, but you must do your job, and the first matter that should be addressed is resolving the case of the refugees.”
“The state’s inaction encourages the people to resort to self-security,” Geagea warned.
“We have a sovereign decision and we must take decisions that protect our country and state, instead of waiting for what the EU of the international community want,” he said, warning that the refugee crisis has become “an existential danger that is threatening our country.”
Source: Naharnet
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