Latest news with #SamyGemayel
LBCI
4 days ago
- Business
- LBCI
MP Gemayel: The Syrian regime is gone, so why are the refugees still in Lebanon?
Kataeb Party leader and MP Samy Gemayel warned that Lebanon is now one of the most overcrowded countries in the world, citing the presence of over 1.7 million Syrian refugees. Speaking at a panel during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Budapest, Hungary, Gemayel highlighted the strain this has placed on Lebanon, a country with a land area of just 10,452 square kilometers and approximately 5 million citizens. He said the refugee population amounts to nearly a 50% increase in the country's original population. "To grasp the scale of the crisis, imagine if France received 32 million additional refugees," he said. Gemayel noted that this situation has persisted for 12 years and argued that the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime removed the justification for Syrian refugees to remain in Lebanon. "What is the excuse today? The regime is gone. Why are the refugees still in Lebanon?" he asked. He called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to reassess its policies regarding the Syrian crisis, emphasizing that the top priority should be securing the refugees' return to their homeland. Gemayel added that the issue does not concern Lebanon alone but also affects Jordan, Turkey, and several European countries.
LBCI
15-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Aoun, Gemayel discuss elections as Spain invites president to UN Development Conference
Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel met with President Joseph Aoun to discuss the country's general situation and the ongoing process of municipal and mukhtar elections. In a separate meeting, President Aoun received a formal letter from Spain's Ambassador to Lebanon, Jesús Santos Aguado, conveying an invitation from King Felipe VI. The invitation is for Lebanon to participate in the fourth United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development, scheduled in Seville from June 30 to July 3.
LBCI
27-04-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
MP Samy Gemayel says decentralization is a historic opportunity for real reform in Lebanon
Kataeb Party leader MP Samy Gemayel urged Parliament to assume its responsibilities and pass the long-awaited decentralization law, describing it as a historic opportunity for real reform in Lebanon. He argued that adopting the law would shift political competition away from sectarian struggles over central power and toward development-focused competition within each region to improve people's lives. Speaking at the opening of the third "Renewal for the Nation" participatory conference titled "Decentralization: The Time Has Come," Gemayel highlighted that the parliamentary subcommittee had held 76 working sessions and approved the majority of the law's articles with the consensus of various political groups. He stressed that what remains is purely a matter of political will. Gemayel explained that true decentralization requires the creation of elected local councils with administrative and financial independence. He recalled that the Kataeb Party had proposed a draft municipal law in 2010, which was later followed by the preparation of a decentralization bill in collaboration with a committee formed by then-President Michel Sleiman. He pointed out that the current form of municipal decentralization is insufficient to achieve balanced regional development. Gemayel emphasized the need to distribute tax revenues in a way that supports less developed areas, ensuring enhanced growth across all Lebanese regions.
National News
27-04-2025
- Politics
- National News
MP Samy Gemayel says decentralization is a historic opportunity for real reform in Lebanon
NNA - Kataeb Party leader MP Samy Gemayel urged Parliament to assume its responsibilities and pass the long-awaited decentralization law, describing it as a historic opportunity for real reform in Lebanon. He argued that adopting the law would shift political competition away from sectarian struggles over central power and toward development-focused competition within each region to improve people's lives. Speaking at the opening of the third "Renewal for the Nation" participatory conference titled "Decentralization: The Time Has Come," Gemayel highlighted that the parliamentary subcommittee had held 76 working sessions and approved the majority of the law's articles with the consensus of various political groups. He stressed that what remains is purely a matter of political will. Gemayel explained that true decentralization requires the creation of elected local councils with administrative and financial independence. He recalled that the Kataeb Party had proposed a draft municipal law in 2010, which was later followed by the preparation of a decentralization bill in collaboration with a committee formed by then-President Michel Sleiman. He pointed out that the current form of municipal decentralization is insufficient to achieve balanced regional development. Gemayel emphasized the need to distribute tax revenues in a way that supports less developed areas, ensuring enhanced growth across all Lebanese regions. --- LBC English ================
National News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- National News
Kataeb renews call for Hezbollah to disarm, calls for voter mobilization in municipal elections
NNA - The Kataeb's Political Bureau convened its weekly meeting under the chairmanship of Party Leader Samy Gemayel. After reviewing the latest developments, the following statement was issued: 1. Hezbollah has once again resorted to its familiar tone of arrogance. Whether through remarks by Sheikh Naim Qassem, statements from Wafiq Safa, or the echo chamber of aligned 'journalists and analysts,' the message is clear: their weapons are off-limits and will remain so. The Kataeb Party views this rhetoric as yet another episode in Hezbollah's ongoing denial of the harsh reality that Lebanon finds itself in; a reality that is the direct result of the group's continued miscalculations. The party also denounces the recent comments made by Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, as an unacceptable interference in Lebanon's internal affairs; one that flagrantly disregards diplomatic norms and the principles that govern sound bilateral relations. The Kataeb Party asserts that decisions about illegal arms belong solely to the Lebanese state, which has already made its firm position clear on the matter. Similarly, the issue of equipping and strengthening the Lebanese Army to exert authority across the entire national territory is a sovereign matter in which no foreign power has any say. The Kataeb Party reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional handover of all weapons, without arrogance or defiance. It affirms that the only path forward for Lebanon is to ensure that all arms are placed under the sole authority of the State and its army, in full compliance with international resolutions—without reinterpretation, loopholes, or semantic maneuvering that risks pulling the country backward 2. With municipal elections fast approaching, the Kataeb Party sees a serious opportunity for the Lebanese people to bring about meaningful local-level change. Municipalities are the first point of contact between citizens and governance, and they represent the foundation of the decentralized administration that Lebanon urgently needs to enact. The party underscores the particular importance of municipal elections in Beirut, the nation's capital, and stresses the need to preserve the political and social balances that reflect the true character of both the city and the country. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining parity and a well-calibrated relationship between the roles of the mayor and the governor, for the benefit of all. The Kataeb Party urges all Lebanese citizens to fully engage in this democratic process, both by running for office and by casting their votes. It calls on voters to support candidates and electoral lists that demonstrate competence, possess the necessary qualifications, and present practical plans for advancing local governance. Accordingly, the party announces its support for specific lists and candidates in cities and towns where elections carry a broader political and national dimension. In villages where contests are driven by family or local considerations, the party grants its members and supporters full freedom to choose as they see fit, provided that their choices serve the broader public interest. 3. The Kataeb Party commends the reform-oriented direction currently adopted by the Cabinet, particularly with regard to key draft laws to Parliament, such as the bill on lifting banking secrecy. These legislative efforts, the party believes, form a critical foundation for any serious reform agenda and are essential to restoring the trust of the international community. The party urges Parliament to endorse these bills without delay, as they are pivotal steps in the long-overdue effort to rebuild Lebanon's credibility and chart a path toward recovery. ==================
