Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc stressed Tuesday that the national dialogue table must not become a substitute to state institutions, as it underlined its rejection of any attempt to naturalize Syrian or Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the bloc said that the second dialogue session that will be held tomorrow must remain focused on “finding a solution to the presidential void crisis and electing a consensual president who can gather all Lebanese.”

Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel announced Tuesday the formation of the Lebanese Corruption Observatory to tackle all corruption files in the country, as he called for the “immediate implementation” of an emergency waste management plan devised by the agriculture minister and a team of experts.

“The issue of corruption in Lebanon is one of the main issues and citizens have the right to know how their money is being spent,” said Gemayel at a press conference.

Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun warned Tuesday of an “international attempt” to naturalize Syrian refugees in Lebanon, urging the Maronite patriarch to reject the election of a president who would approve such a move.

“There are several indications of an attempt by world powers to naturalize the refugees in Lebanon … There is a European conspiracy aimed at making Lebanon shoulder the greatest burden from the Syrian refugee crisis and we reject a second naturalization,” said Aoun after his bloc's weekly meeting.

General Security said on Tuesday that it has arrested five Lebanese on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic State extremist group for the purpose of carrying out bombings and tasking thugs with causing riots during the latest protests held in downtown Beirut.

A communique issued by the agency said the five Lebanese have set up a terrorist network that plotted blasts to target bases and vehicles belonging to the Lebanese army and security forces.

Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq reiterated during talks with hunger strikers on Tuesday that his resignation would have negative consequences, one of the activists said.

Waref Suleiman, who has been on hunger strike for the past 14 days, said al-Mashnouq told the delegation that he was fighting corruption similar to civil society activists.

The trial of Ahmed al-Asir at the military court was on Tuesday postponed to October 20 upon the request of defense lawyers.

The military judge's decision to adjourn the session was expected because it was the first time that the Salafist cleric went on trial.

The relatives of the servicemen taken hostage by jihadists in August last year are planning to hold a protest in downtown Beirut on Wednesday.

Nizam Mughit, one of the family members, said Tuesday: “We will resort to the streets tomorrow, hoisting the pictures of the kidnapped servicemen to tell everyone that this case has not been closed.”

Civil society activists held a protest near the finance ministry in Beirut on Tuesday to stop the transfer of the salaries of lawmakers whom they accuse of being corrupt.

Police immediately deployed in the area to stop the protesters from entering the building similar to when demonstrators stormed the environment ministry earlier this month to demand the minister's resignation.

Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat is exerting efforts to resolve the army appointments crisis by trying to appease Change and Reform bloc leader lawmaker Michel Aoun and other parties through the promotion of only three army officers, al-Akhbar daily reported on Tuesday.

The newspaper said that Jumblat has tasked Health Minister Wael Abou Faour to hold contacts and meetings to assess whether the promotion of the three officers, including Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, is acceptable.

Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun is mulling to boycott the second national dialogue session that is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, An Nahar newspaper reported.

Aoun is studying his options, a Free Patriotic Movement official, who was not identified, told the daily.