BEIRUT, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Protests against the government's policies have increased in Lebanon after a speech delivered by President Michel Aoun on Thursday.
More people took to the Lebanese streets, chanting slogans against the government and asking for a complete change in the country's political system.
"We will not leave the streets until the whole regime falls because all politicians are corrupt and they are lying about reform measures," a protester told Xinhua.
Another protester said the reforms announced by Prime Minister Saad Hariri earlier this week are not up to the Lebanese expectations.
In his address to the Lebanese people on Thursday, Aoun said he is ready to meet with representatives of protesters and listen to their demands, without resorting to solutions that would lead to economic deterioration.
"It is true that our system is too old because it's been paralyzed for years but we can modernize it through communication," he noted.
Aoun also invited the protesters to supervise the implementation of reforms, saying they can go back to demonstrations if reforms are not carried out on time.
The Lebanese president promised that laws concerning the creation of a special court for crimes related to public money squandering and anti-corruption should be approved soon in the parliament.
Aoun's remarks came after more than a week of nationwide demonstrations asking for the resignation of the government and the change of the whole political system.
The Lebanese people have been suffering for many years from the lack of basic services such as electricity, water and proper healthcare.
