Bassil Criticizes Oil Sector Strike for Harming Citizens
Energy Minister Jebran Bassil criticized on Tuesday a three-day planned strike next week by Lebanon’s oil sector, saying it targets citizens and harms them.
In remarks to As Safir newspaper, Bassil said: “I am with the citizens and not traders and I reject raising the prices of fuel.”
The head of the Association of Petroleum Importing Companies Maroun Shammas announced Monday that the strike will be held on April 2-4 following the failure of the government to meet the request of gas station owners and fuel distributors.
Shammas said the oil sector is demanding an increase of LL820 on the overall price of 20 liters of fuel, LL500 of which would be added to the surcharge accumulated by the stations, LL120 to transportation tanks and LL200 to oil companies.
The head of gas station owners Sami Brax has also warned that their measures will remain open-ended if they don’t reach their objectives.
During the last strike on March 15 gas stations stopped pumping fuel and fuel tanks rejected to distribute oil.
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