Derbas Rejects Attempts to 'Violate his Jurisdiction' Regarding Syrian Refugee File

Minister of Social Affairs Rashid Derbas stressed that his ministry is the main authority concerned with tackling the case of Syrian refugees in Lebanon as sources criticized the manner in which Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil approached his handling of the case, reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Seyassah on Sunday.

Derbas told the daily: “This issue can not be postponed further. The cabinet should seize control of this file and I refuse to have my jurisdictions violated.”

He made his statements in light of a dispute between him and Bassil during the most recent cabinet session held on Thursday.

Media reports said that Bassil had told the government that he had information about the entry of more Syrian refugees to Lebanon.

Since last September, around 50,000 new refugees have been officially registered, Bassil told the cabinet.

A dispute over the matter soon ensued between the minister and Derbas, with the latter reportedly storming out of the government meeting.

Bassil later remarked that certain Lebanese institutions “are not abiding by the decision taken by the cabinet to stop the flow of refugees.”

On the cabinet incident, Derbas explained to al-Seyassah that he, along with Bassil and Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq are members of a committee, chaired by Premier Tammam Salam, tasked with following up on the refugee file.

He then informed cabinet that his ministry received a grant, part of a series of donations for the Social Affairs Ministry, to which Bassil objected.

Bassil rejected accepting the grant until the entire file was studied, added Derbas.

“I replied that I did not mind unless there was something worth addressing. This issue should not be linked to the work of the crisis cell as there are 120 employees who have not been paid their salaries in over five months,” he explained.

“It was unfortunate that none of the ministers at the meeting commented on this issue, which prompted me to storm out of the session,” Derbas said.

M.T.