Lebanon PM, Speaker exchange accusations over 2010 budget

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Speaker Nabih Berri exchanged accusations over the 2010 budget during Tuesday’s parliamentary session

In response to statements of MPs, Hariri said parliamentary committees should speed up adoption of the budget so that the cabinet could act. (more…)

Lebanon Cabinet approves Bassil’s electricity plan

The Lebanese cabinet has approved today the electricity plan that was proposed by Energy Minister Gebran Bassil, which aims at lowering the energy sector’s losses, the environmental impact and the national deficit. (more…)

Lebanon cabinet to discuss Bassils’s electricity plan

The Lebanese cabinet is scheduled to discuss the electricity crisis during an extraordinary session on Monday. (more…)

Power was cut in Hezbollah’s Beirut stronghold due to repair work

Electricite du Liban said Beirut’s southern suburbs are witnessing more power rationing due to repair work on one of the transformers by a western expert. Over a hundred Dahiyeh residents took to the streets to protest power cuts, using burning tires to block a public road leading to Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport for around two hours on Friday in southern suburb of the capital, a Hezbollah stronghold. (more…)

Burning tires block Beirut Airport in Hezbollah stronghold

Over a hundred Dahiyeh residents used burning tires to block a public road leading to Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport for around two hours on Friday in southern suburb of the capital, a Hezbollah stronghold.

The angry mob of 150 resorted to blocking the main roundabout of the Airport Highway with burning tires, reminiscent of the start of Hezbollah’s Beirut siege in May 2008. (more…)

Beirut residents block airport road over power cuts | Update

Update: Security forces extinguished the burning tires and re-opened access to the airport highway. Protesters then proceeded to block the Bir Hasan intersection with burning tires.

Lebanese citizens took to the streets on Friday to protest against the government’s recurring power outages. (more…)

Lebanon’s budget deficit narrows

Lebanon’s budget deficit narrowed to 27 billion Lebanese pounds ($18 million) for January as the government spent less on subsidizing the country’s main electricity generating power company. (more…)

Qabbani: EDL chief wants to stay in control of the company

MP Muhammad Qabbani criticized the decision taken by a member of the Civil Service Board in approving the request of the Director General of Lebanon’s Electricite du Liban, EDL ( the only electric utility company in Lebanon) , Kamal Hayek of promoting administrative managers only . Qabbani rejected this resolution, calling for promotions to include technicians and administrators.
Qabbani said Hayek wants, to continue running the institution as he pleases , surrounded by yes men who don’t question him . He added this company is responsible for one third of public debt

Bassil: $150 million in annual electricity bills are not paid

Lebanon’s Energy Minister Gebran Bassil said following a meeting with Electricité Du Liban’s ( EDL) General Manager Kamal al-Hayek that $150 million worth of electricity bills are not paid per year and added that collection is a “priority.”
The minister added that all the Lebanese should pay their electric bills, regardless of their region. He also called for subsidizing fuel for the poor.
According to EDL sources, electricity bill collectors are afraid of going to Hezbollah and Amal neighborhoods for security reasons. Several collectors have been either killed or attacked whenever they tried to collect electric bills. These sources are saying that since the current FPM minister is allied with Hezbollah he should be able to put pressure on the group to pay their electricity bills