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Lebanon: the army deploys in gas stations

2021-08-14T17:10:01.668Z


The country is experiencing significant fuel shortages which affect the supply of basic goods. The army deployed on Saturday to gas stations in Lebanon, plagued by severe fuel shortages, with the governor of the Central Bank refusing to restore subsidies as one of the country's main hospitals warned that he was going to have to close its doors, citing an " imminent disaster ". Since the end of 2019, Lebanon has been going through one of the worst economic crises in the world since 1850, ac


The army deployed on Saturday to gas stations in Lebanon, plagued by severe fuel shortages, with the governor of the Central Bank refusing to restore subsidies as one of the country's main hospitals warned that he was going to have to close its doors, citing an "

imminent disaster

".

Since the end of 2019, Lebanon has been going through one of the worst economic crises in the world since 1850, according to the World Bank, and has experienced significant fuel shortages which affect the supply of basic goods.

Read also: IMF calls on Lebanon to use new reserves wisely

"

I will not go back on (the decision to) raise fuel subsidies unless the use of compulsory (currency) reserves is legalized

", declared the director of the Central Bank (BDL), Riad Salamé, on a local radio microphone.

"

We still have $ 14 billion in (mandatory) reserves, in addition to $ 20 billion in external assets,

" he said.

BDL's foreign exchange reserves exceeded $ 30 billion before the crisis.

"Impending disaster"

The BDL announced on Wednesday its decision to grant credit lines only at the black market rate for the importation of fuels, causing anger and panic in the country and raising fears of yet another increase in prices and shortages, including of bread. Several establishments have had to close their doors for lack of diesel to power private generators, while power outages peak at more than 22 hours a day.

The American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), one of the country's leading private hospitals, warned of "

impending disaster

" on Saturday

, saying it was forced to cease operations within 48 hours if it does not get fuel. . "

Forty sick adults and 15 children, on respirators, will die immediately,

" warns the AUBMC in a statement. “

180 people suffering from kidney failure will die of poisoning after a few days (...) Several hundred cancer patients, adults and children, will die in the coming weeks.

"

The BDL's reserves have melted as the Lebanese pound has lost more than 90% of its value against the dollar, making import costs more onerous.

The greenback is traded today on the black market at more than 20,000 pounds, against an official rate still maintained at 1,507 pounds.

Criticized by several political leaders for the lifting of subsidies, Riad Salamé defended himself on Saturday: “

All (...) were aware of the decision.

Let them go to Parliament and vote for the law instead of playing the comedy,

”he replied.

Army intervention

On Saturday, endless lines stretched out in front of gas stations as fuel delivery trucks were stormed by angry citizens, local media reported.

In a statement, the army threatened to "

search closed gas stations, confiscate all quantities of gasoline stored there (...) and distribute them directly and free of charge

" to motorists.

The internal security forces (ISF) followed suit, saying they

will not

"stand

idly by

" in the face of chaos.

Some service stations have closed to keep fuel stock pending further price hikes.

According to AFP correspondents, soldiers deployed en masse to gas stations in the early afternoon imposed the opening of several of them north of Beirut and elsewhere.

The army said it had seized more than 78,000 liters of gasoline stored in two service stations as well as 57,000 liters of diesel in a third in the east of the country.

She shared images on social media showing soldiers filling vehicle tanks themselves at gas stations.

Ongoing investigations into the director of the central bank

Riad Salamé on Saturday criticized fuel importers and distributors, accused of taking advantage of subsidies and storing large quantities to sell them at a higher price on the black market or in neighboring Syria. "

It is unacceptable that we import 820 million dollars of fuel and that there is no diesel, neither gasoline nor electricity

" on the local market, lamented Mr. Salamé, indicating that this amount should be sufficient for three months, “

Not just a month

”.

In office since 1993, Mr. Salamé is accused by the street of having, like the barons of Lebanese politics, led the country adrift and transferred large sums abroad during the popular protest of October 2019 and having imposed draconian banking restrictions, still in effect.

He is the subject of judicial investigations in Lebanon, Switzerland and France in several cases, including embezzlement of public funds and illicit enrichment.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-08-14

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