Brussels, 05/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle has underlined that one of the biggest challenges that Lebanon will have to face in the future are the upcoming elections - legislative in 2013 and presidential in 2014. “The EU believes that these elections should be held on time as required by your constitution and in line with international standards. It is necessary that the electoral reform is the result of a consensus among political parties and that the elections themselves unite rather than divide the people of Lebanon”, he states in a press release after his trip to Lebanon.
The commissioner also pointed out that the European Union expects more progress to be made and reforms needed for the country to be implemented. Recalling that the EU and Beirut have managed to negotiate a new action plan for their mutual cooperation (see EUROPE 10713), Füle said that this action plan 2013-2015, which is to take political, economic and social reforms forward, “could be a good example also for other partners of the EU”. It contains 13 clear priorities; it is a plan for the modernisation of Lebanon; and “it is a transparent and coherent way to make the support of the government and our support accountable to the citizens”, he explained.
Füle also hailed Lebanon's action in assisting Syrian refugees, whom he visited, on its soil. He announced, moreover, that additional aid of €30 million would be allocated to Lebanon in order to help it manage the flow of refugees, bringing total aid to €70 million. (CG/transl.jl)