The Lebanese army has been given instructions to remove all obstacles around the Parliament’s premises in Beirut’s Nejmeh Square as it will no longer be restricted for pedestrians. This comes days after the massive celebrations that took place on Nejmeh Square to celebrate the new year.

Speaker Berri “said the roads leading to Nejmeh Square will no more be restricted for pedestrians, and the movement will return just like it was before tight security measures were imposed “for safety reasons” and asked business owners and restaurants to resume their businesses after closing down.

Yeah that’s how things work. We close down Beirut’s most vital streets for few years then ask businesses to resume work, because business owners have no problem whatsoever paying rent and accumulating losses for years for “safety reasons” that were never justified.

In all cases, it’s still a good sign and we can only hope that tourists and locals go back to fill Nejmeh Square and its surroundings.