Lebanon president says reform begins with confronting corruption

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said yesterday that reform in his country begins with tackling corruption that is widespread in the Lebanese system and negatively affects the state building project.

Speaking during a cabinet meeting held in the presence of Prime Minister Hassan Diab, Aoun added that reform begins with “combating pests” that affect the Lebanese regime and negatively affects the state building project with all its sovereign components, especially in the presence of inherited and complex economic, fiscal and social problems exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

He stressed on the need to establish a comprehensive and effective legal system as well as a professional supervisory authority to combat corruption.

He has also stressed on the importance of targeting political corruption in particular and not focusing only on administrative corruption, in addition to enacting the necessary laws and taking measures in accordance with the national strategy plan to combat corruption.

For his part, Diab said that corruption is “widespread in Lebanon, and enjoys the protection of politicians”, calling to intensify efforts to hold the corrupt accountable without the interference of the political authority.

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