Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea. (Credit: NNA)
Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces, warned that Lebanon risks losing international support if the state fails to secure its borders and assert state sovereignty, stressing the need for urgent reforms and "exclusive state control over weapons" to ensure the country’s survival and stability, the state-run National News Agency reported Sunday.
Speaking during the annual dinner held by the Zahleh Coordination of the Lebanese Forces at the party’s headquarters in Maarab on Saturday night, Geagea warned that the international and Arab communities are closely monitoring Lebanon, asking: “How can they trust us if we don’t control our borders and assert the sovereignty of the state?”
He cautioned that the world may turn its back on Lebanon in a few months if the "State does not prove its effectiveness."
“Lebanon has not yet reached a safe zone, despite the election of a new president and the formation of a new government. The country still faces risks and is in urgent need of fundamental reforms and exclusive control of weapons by the state to build an effective government and a prosperous society,” Geagea said.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem warned in a speech that he “will not allow anyone to disarm” the party, although expressing readiness to engage in dialogue on a “comprehensive national defense strategy once Israel ceases to violate the cease-fire.”
Referring to recent incidents on Lebanon’s eastern border with Syria, he said they revealed a dangerous structural flaw in the country’s sovereignty. He explained that about six weeks ago, the Lebanese Army deployed along the eastern border at the request of locals to restore order. However, a few days ago, shells were fired from Lebanese territory toward Syria, sparking renewed tensions.
On March 16, in the Al Qasr area near Hermel, Lebanese villages were shelled from Syrian territory.
The Lebanese Army responded by enhancing security measures in the region. The following day, President Joseph Aoun stated that such incidents could not continue and directed the army to address the sources of the fire.
Geagea noted that the army acted quickly and coordinated with the Syrian side through Saudi mediation, “the army is deployed, yet shells are being launched from behind its positions! How can there still be armed groups and weapons outside the army’s control? This is unacceptable. When we call for the state to monopolize arms, this is exactly what we mean. It’s not a hostile demand — it's a sovereign necessity.”
He also praised the recent visit by Aoun to Saudi Arabia and the subsequent meetings with Lebanese and Syrian officials.
'We voted in favor of lifting banking secrecy'
On the economic front, Geagea stressed the importance of financial and banking reforms, particularly the restructuring of the banking sector and the amendment of Lebanon’s banking secrecy law.
Lebanese MPs approved a long-awaited bill lifting banking secrecy on Thursday, a key reform on which financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is dependent.
The bill was endorsed by joint parliamentary committees on April 16 and its approval in Parliament comes at a time when Lebanese officials are meeting representatives of the world's financial institutions in Washington.
The vote on the bill was closely watched, particularly by the IMF and World Bank. Lebanon recently renewed its request for a financial assistance program from the IMF, which, since the economic crisis of 2019, spurred on by corruption and mismanagement, has insisted that Lebanon improve transparency in the banking sector before receiving funds.
Geagea explained that the Lebanese Forces supported the bill in Parliament, encouraging other smaller blocs and independents to follow suit. “We voted in favor because it is essential to regaining global financial confidence,” he said.
Geagea emphasized that the IMF’s endorsement of the economic reform program is crucial to attract new investments and revive the economy. He also called for comprehensive and swift judicial reforms, linking Lebanon’s current crisis to years of governance by the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” which he said led to the collapse of state institutions.
LF 'never pursued positions for power’s sake'
Speaking on the upcoming municipal elections, Geagea said that the Lebanese Forces “never pursued positions for power’s sake.”
He concluded that the “election is not just a local contest, but a true battle for change.”
The last municipal elections in Lebanon were held in 2016, and councils were elected for six years. The election has since been postponed three times, in 2022, 2023 and 2024. As a result, a significant number of municipal councils have resigned or are unable to effectively perform their duties due to a lack of financial and human resources.
