Aude: Seizing Citizens Savings Prohibited, Govt. Must be for All People

Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut Elias Aude on Sunday warned the government against seizing any funds from depositors' bank accounts, urging it to serve all the people and not only certain components.

“Seizing citizens' lifelong savings is prohibited and our people deserve a dignified life, which we hope the government will work on providing away from the previous practices,” Aude said in his Easter sermon.

“You should be for all the people and not for a single person, group, sect or party,” Aude added, addressing the government.

Urging the government to “show prudence, patience and the courage to abandon all ties except for its ties to its own people,” the Metropolitan called for “rescuing Lebanon from its crisis without forcing citizens to pay for the mistakes of their rulers.”

“The government must respect the constitution, enforce the laws, establish the principle of social justice, be keen on time and work swiftly without hastiness,” Aude went on to say.

He also hoped there will not be “unfairness toward the sons of any sect.”

“If your government is truly non-sectarian, let there be rotation in posts and let competency, integrity, expertise and accountability prevail without discrimination against anyone,” Aude urged.