The grain silos at Beirut port were destroyed by the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion. (Credit: Zeina Antonios)
BEIRUT — The cabinet approved the destruction of the Beirut port silos in a meeting on Wednesday evening despite opposition from relatives of the victims of the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion and activists.
Here’s what we know:
• Najib’s Mikati’s cabinet met at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Grand Serail to tackle an agenda of 35 items, among them an item on the silos.
• Public Works Minister Ali Hamieh received a letter on March 1 from the head of the investigation into the 2020 Beirut port explosion Judge Tarek Bitar noting that “there is no longer a need to preserve what remains of the [Beirut port] silos, in light of the advanced stage of the forensic investigation,” days after Economy Minister Amin Salam said he would not take a decision to demolish them, awaiting a competent judicial ruling authorizing the demolition.
• The Beirut Urban Declaration initiative started a petition in February pressing the government not to demolish the silos. Families of the port victims have also protested against such a decision.