Strong Republic and National Moderation bloc MPs stand with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Sept. 16, 2023. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — The Strong Republic parliamentary bloc, headed by the leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, Saturday met with a delegation from the National Moderation parliamentary bloc in the party's headquarters to discuss the possibility of opening Akkar's Qlayaat airport, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) built the small airport in 1934 initially using it as the base of its employee regional shuttle service. The Lebanese Army took control of the airport in 1966, expanding and developing it into one of the region's most modern air bases.
MPs representing the Strong Republic bloc, included Ghassan Hasbani, Fadi Karam, Antoine Habashi and Elie Khoury, attended the meeting. Representing the National Moderation bloc were North Lebanon MPs Walid Al-Baarini, Sagih Attieh, Mohammad Sleiman.
"We have seen from [Geagea] all positivity, support and partnership in this important project, especially for the North and Akkar region, which suffers from a lot of deprivation," MP Attieh — who heads the parliamentary committee of Public Works and Transport — stated after the meeting.
"[Geagea] also stressed ... the need to stimulate all economic facilities in the country, especially in the northern region, whether the port, the special economic zone, or the airport, primarily in light of the national, economic, and developmental need for this region, considering that the Qlayaat airport complements the work of Beirut Airport in various aspects," Attieh added.
The economic crisis, which has ravaged the country since 2019, has compromised the operations of Lebanon's only international airport.
"All the blocs that we have met with showed a lot of positivity about the project due to its importance," Attieh said, after a series of meetings held this week with various political parties.
"From here we will now enter the implementation phase and develop plans and a mechanism for follow-up work from both the administrative and logistical standpoints," said Attieh. "God willing, we will be able to operate the airport in the near future."