Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed, following a meeting of the Central Security Council, that the government’s decisions “must be fully implemented,” particularly those concerning the capital, Beirut, affirming a move toward tightening security measures to control the situation and deter any breach of security, in a way that reassures citizens.
Salam explained that Lebanon has entered a “new course” after the August 5 decision and the measures that followed, noting that there is no turning back from this path, despite the time needed to complete its implementation. He said the current security situation has improved significantly compared with last year, stating that the improvement “has reached about 90 percent.”
Regarding the general situation, he pointed out that the issue of weapons and border crossings is now more tightly controlled than before, despite the continued occurrence of some smuggling operations at a limited rate compared with the past. At the same time, he affirmed that coordination is ongoing among the three presidencies within the framework of respecting the separation of powers.
Salam also denied the existence of any political dispute between the President of the Republic and the Speaker of Parliament, stressing that the government is responsible for the official positions issued in the context of the preliminary rounds of negotiations.
For his part, Interior and Municipalities Minister Ahmad Hajjar confirmed, after the council meeting, that the deployment measures of the security forces in Beirut are being followed up in the wake of the government’s decisions, calling on citizens to stop celebratory gunfire and stressing that there will be no leniency with anyone who undermines security.
Hajjar pointed to the Interior Ministry’s commitment to securing the best possible security conditions despite the existing challenges, calling on anyone wishing to organize gatherings or sit-ins to comply with legal procedures and submit requests in advance.
