Lebanon PM resigns: Corruption is bigger than the state

Shafaq News/ Lebanese Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, announced his resignation almost a week after the massive explosion that swept Beirut port and large areas of the Lebanese Capital killing around two hundred citizens and injuring more than two thousand. 

Diab, in the televised announcement addressed to the nation, concluded that, "Corruption is bigger than the state", adding, "Beirut explosion is one of its aspects".

He added, "We are still living in the horror of the tragedy that struck Lebanon and the Lebanese to the core, which occurred as a result of chronic corruption in the administration…The scale of the tragedy is too large to describe but some are living in another time and others are only interested in registering electoral scores".

He continued, "They did not properly read the revolution of October 17. That revolution was against them. However, they resumed their processes and thought that they could dilute the Lebanese demands for change".

Diab said, "the system of corruption is greater than the state in Lebanon", stressing, "We are facing a major tragedy and the forces had to cooperate to overcome the ordeal".

"the political class wasted people's deposits, placed the country under the burden of debt and tried to hold the government responsible for failure", adding, "Between us and the change, a thick wall protected by a class that wants to stay in control of the state". He added, "the system of corruption is rooted in all the joints of the state and it is greater than the state".

"Changing those who were the real tragedy of the Lebanese people is mandatory", considering, "the corruption of some parties in Lebanon produced this calamity that has been hidden for 7 years".

"some parties tried to hold the government responsible for the financial and economic collapse",Diab added.

The Lebanese Minister of Health, Hamad Hasan, declared after a cabinet meeting in the "Governmental Serail" in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, "the government will resign," noting that, "the decision to resign came to assume responsibility".