The leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, received Kesrouan MP and industrialist Neemat Frem at Meerab on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Credit: NNA)
Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea, met with Kesrouan MP and industrialist Neemat Frem at Meerab to discuss the current episode of near-blackout experienced by Electricité du Liban (EDL), which is expected to persist until the end of the week.
According to a statement released after the meeting, Geagea and Frem both expressed their support for the privatization of the electricity sector, which they believe is "the only solution" to address the financial and technical deficiencies of the public provider.
Privatization of the sector has been a key issue for the LF for several years. As a former president of the Industrialists' Association, Frem has often advocated for a reform of the governance of the EDL to reduce the energy costs for businesses. In 2019, he left the parliamentary group of the Free Patriotic Movement, a rival Christian party to the Lebanese Forces.
Geagea and Frem also discussed the issue of the Syrian presence in Lebanon, emphasizing that "the only authority authorized to grant refugee status to any foreigner on national territory is the Lebanese state." They believe that documents issued by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees regarding asylum are illegal. Additionally, they talked about the upcoming reopening of the Jounieh port (Kesrouan), mentioning an "encouraging" initiative to appoint a new official to head this structure, with no further details provided.