EU Ambassadors Anticipate End to Paralysis

European Union Ambassadors underscored the EU's expectation that a new President would be elected for Lebanon and that Parliament would approve important draft laws, a press release said on Friday.

“The ambassadors reiterated the EU's expectation that a new President would be elected without further delay and that Parliament would speedily advance on pressing legislation, including a new electoral law with a view to legislative elections,” the EU Ambassadors told Prime Minister Tammam Salam in a meeting held at the Grand Serail.

They expressed “strong support for Salam in his efforts to keep the government stable and functioning in light of the continuing political stalemate and the Presidential vacuum.”

On the latest protests that swept through the streets of Beirut over the government's paralysis, the ambassadors underscored the “EU's support for the right of the Lebanese citizens to assemble and to petition their government for the effective application of the rule of law and transparency in public policy.”

They also underscored that “citizens have a right to enjoy basic services, to have an accountable government and functioning state institutions.”

The Ambassadors welcomed the investigations by the Ministry of Interior to hold accountable those who used disproportionate force against the demonstrators, but also condemned violence against the security forces.

"Ongoing social protests underline the need for the political leaders to exercise their collective responsibility to address the pressing issues that are at the root of the current unrest," Maciej Golubiewski, Chargé d'Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon said.

Highlighting financial support to Lebanon, the Golubiewski said: "Lebanon – the citizens, the government and its respective ministries – is not alone in its efforts to find a solution to these pressing issues.

“In 2009-2013 period only, the amount of financial support to Lebanon by the EU and the Member States reached over 1 billion euros. Still, as EU and EU Member States donors, the government can count on our technical support where it deems it necessary with regard to the delivery of services such as waste and water management, and electricity," he concluded.