Commerce registry building in Baabda still at risk of collapse

Justice Minister Adel Nassar cut short his vacation abroad to visit Baabda, where the building housing the Mount Lebanon commercial registry is reportedly at risk of collapse, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Tuesday.

Speaking to L’Orient Today, the minister said he had inspected the building on Monday along with Mount Lebanon Court of Appeal Chief Judge Myrna Bayda and acting Prosecutor General Sami Nader. The building also houses the enforcement of judgments department and the labor council.

Nassar clarified that while there was no immediate risk of collapse, visible cracks in the structure required precautionary measures. Engineers have since examined the site, and a company has been contracted to reinforce the structure.

Earlier in June, the same building — adjacent to the Baabda Justice Palace — had been evacuated as a precaution for similar concerns.

The minister held several meetings at the Justice Palace to follow up on the matter and ensure the necessary steps were taken. In his statement, Nassar also said he would attend a meeting of the parliamentary Administration and Justice Committee to continue reviewing the draft law on judicial independence, calling the issue “critical and sensitive” amid ongoing debate.

He also denied that his return was related to the judicial appointments file, stating that the appointments have yet to be finalized by the Higher Judicial Council.