Derbas: Refugees Must be Sent to Safe Zones in Syria, Government Suffered Setbacks

Minister of Social Affairs Rashid Derbas stressed the need to send Syrian refugees to the safe zones in Syria because “things are spiraling out of control in Lebanon, as he lamented that the government had suffered many setbacks and disruptions ,” Derbas told VDL (93.3) on Friday.

“This matter can no longer afford leniency, especially that things have been spiraling out of control. We should invest in the prevailing situation and send refugees back to safe zones in Syria,” Derbas said.

The Minister added that his ministry had prepared a comprehensive file covering all the different aspects of this issue.

Lebanon hosts more than one million Syrian refugees -- roughly a quarter of its population -- and has regularly been praised for opening its borders to those fleeing the brutal conflict in neighboring Syria.

But the refugee influx has strained resources and tempers, with some Lebanese viewing the years-long presence of Syrians as a burden, even an imposition.

With regard to Thursday's cabinet session that could be the last of its meetings should the parliament elect a new president on Monday, Derbas, said: “The Lebanese government has suffered wide-scale disruption and setbacks,” he said, regretting that yesterday's farewell cabinet session ended the way it did.

After the election of a president, the government is automatically considered resigned and would start acting in caretaker capacity without holding regular meetings.

“I have tried, along with other ministers, all my best to fill state void, but our mission was extremely difficult,” Derbas told VDL.