“RED TV”
The representative of fuel distributors, Fadi Abu Chakra, painted a bleak picture of the living conditions and the energy sector in Lebanon, considering that the rise in prices is inseparable from the war and tensions taking place in the region and from the policies adopted by US President Donald Trump. He stressed that the state is required to take action to protect the sector and the citizen, despite its limited ability to restore fuel subsidies as before.
During an interview on the “3:15 Meeting” program on RED TV, Abu Chakra said that “the rise in prices is linked to the war, the policies of President Donald Trump, and tensions in the region,” noting that external developments directly reflect on the internal reality and the cost of fuel.
He explained that the sector made contacts in order to push the state to take action and support it, but the available capabilities do not allow for a return to the previous support model. He said: “We made contacts in order for the state to move to support the sector, but it does not have the ability to support fuel as before.”
In light of the tense regional scene, Abu Chakra considered that the solutions were no longer only local, adding: “All we have to do is pray for reconciliation in the world.”
Regarding the issue of private generators, he stressed the need to take into account the conditions of citizens and adherence to the laws. He said: “A person must be on the side of his fellow man. Regarding the issue of generators, whoever has a complaint should submit it to the Ministry of Economy.”
He stressed that all concerned must work according to the rules because the citizen “can no longer bear it.” At the same time, he stressed that the current crisis cannot be blamed on the existing government alone and said: “This crisis is not the result of this government, but rather the result of the accumulations of previous governments.”
Abu Shakra touched on the issue of fuel ships, revealing that work took place even during the weekend to prevent a shortage in the market. He said: “With regard to the ships, we supervised their unloading on Sunday to avoid a crisis, thanks to the government’s efforts.”
In the context of searching for long-term guarantees of energy security, he called for the establishment of a state reserve and said: “The state must have a strategic reserve of oil and it must increase the volume of imports.”
He stressed that this stage cannot tolerate delay, adding: “The situation is difficult and the state must move quickly.”
Regarding employment in gas stations, Abu Chakra pointed out the difficulty of attracting Lebanese labor to this sector, considering that “the Lebanese citizen does not accept to work in gas stations as does a foreign worker who performs additional services such as cleaning car windows.”
As for the electricity file, Abu Chakra proposed the possibility of involving the private sector in the solution, provided that the state remains the supervisor. He said: “Private companies can import electricity, provided that the process remains under the supervision of the state.”
At the same time, he held the political class fundamentally responsible for the continuation of the electricity crisis, considering that the solution is linked above all to the existence of a political decision. He said: “When the politicians agree, electricity becomes available because the issue is ultimately a political decision.”
Abu Chakra’s positions come in light of continuing pressure on the fuel and electricity sectors in Lebanon and the decline of the state’s ability to intervene financially as before, which makes stability in the markets more closely linked to managing imports, securing stocks, and the ability to make quick political and economic decisions that prevent any external disturbance from turning into a new internal crisis.
