Former Premier Saad Hariri stressed on the occasion of ex-Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel’s assassination on Sunday that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will achieve justice and end the era of organized crime.

The anniversary “is an occasion to stress to the martyr, Pierre Amin Gemayel, that the international tribunal continues its work to hold the killers accountable, achieve justice and end the epoch of organized political crime at a time when the region’s people are on the path of ending the era of killing, tyranny and terrorism,” Hariri said in a statement.

Premier Najib Miqati advised the young generation on Sunday not to become followers as Speaker Nabih Berri urged Lebanese children to spearhead the rejection of political confessionalism.

During the opening of the Parliament of Children, Berri told the youngsters: “Become the vanguards of the people that want to abolish political sectarianism, lower the voting age and call for the participation of women” in political life.

Preparations are underway in Rashaya al-Wadi and nearby towns to welcome President Michel Suleiman who is scheduled to address the nation on the eve of Lebanon’s 68th independence anniversary from the citadel of Rashaya.

Lebanese flags and banners welcoming Suleiman were hoisted at the entrances of the towns and balconies of houses.

Lebanon’s ambassador to the U.N. Nawwaf Salam has stressed that he voted in favor of a General Assembly draft resolution demanding that Iran cooperate with an investigation into an alleged plot to assassinate the Saudi envoy to Washington.

The Saudi resolution on the plot was passed with 106 votes in favor, nine against and 40 abstentions on Friday. The United States accuses Iran of masterminding the plot.

The Progressive Socialist Party will hold a rally on December 4 on the occasion of the birthday of its slain leader Kamal Jumblat, An Nahar daily reported Sunday.

The newspaper said that the rally will be held in Mukhtara, two days before Jumblat’s birthday on December 6, 1917. He was assassinated on March 16, 1977.

The U.N. Security Council and the European Union will take “measures” against Lebanon if Lebanon doesn’t fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, sources close to French decision-makers warned.

The sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in remarks published Sunday that Lebanon’s rejection to pay its 49 percent share would lead to a “troubling situation that would force the international community to take measures … at the level of the Security Council and the EU.”

The moment of truth has come and the course of funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has reached its final stage, visitors quoted Prime Minister Najib Miqati as saying.

The visitors told An Nahar daily published Sunday that Miqati said: “The time that we tried to gain is over and we should take the decision” on the funding.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said on Saturday that the war is ongoing in Syria because the stated demands for reform are not the real motives behind war.

“It is important to respond to the international media outlets that are reporting incidents opposite to the facts on ground,” Aoun said during a meeting with a European Catholic delegation.

Speaker Nabih Berri said on Saturday that Lebanon will overcome the crises and maintain its stability.

“Lebanon will overcome crises and preserve its security and stability,” Berri said during a dinner banquet in honor of Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer.

The head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad said on Saturday that adopting the proportional representation in the new electoral law is “reasonable,” noting that Hizbullah hasn’t taken the final decision concerning the matter.

“In principle it is reasonable but there’s also a need for a balanced representation system. However, we haven’t taken yet our final decision,” Raad told al-Manar TV in an interview.