Lebanon is at a crucial crossroads to build a strong state, says Midel to Tarek Mitri

BEIRUT — The president of the International Lebanese Business Movement (Midel), Fouad Zmokhol, said Monday that Lebanon is at a crucial crossroads: Either succeed in building a strong state, or turn it into a conglomeration of "mini-states" that would lead to chaos and disintegration.

He was speaking at a luncheon-discussion organized between Midel’s Board of Directors and Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri in Beirut, just before Monday's Cabinet meeting, which was dedicated to several important issues including restoring the state’s monopoly on arms.

"Today we are at a crossroads: Either build a strong, transparent, and solid state for all and by all, or strengthen local entities, mafia governance, corruption, and chaos, and continue the deliberate disintegration and collapse of the state," Zmokhol said specifically.

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“We proudly support the Lebanese State,” said Zmokhol. He stressed the importance of turning the optimism surrounding the 2025 government into a unified long-term strategy, built on public-private cooperation to rebuild the state on solid foundations.

Other discussions focused on the 2026 budget project, which has been forwarded to Parliament by the executive branch — President Joseph Aoun having signed the decree at the end of last week.

Midel considers that the text does not allow the state to effectively fight tax evasion but will instead further increase the tax burden on taxpayers who are in compliance with the tax authorities.

Participants discussed the delays, and even freezes, in customs clearance processes for goods, insisting that "many transactions were blocked for no apparent reason."

The finance minister recently ordered more stringent control procedures in the ports of Beirut and Tripoli, following a series of seizures of illegal or smuggled goods. The situation is expected to clear up as soon as new scanners are deployed later this month, according to a statement made last week by the Finance Ministry.

Participants also addressed the rebuilding of key trade and investment relations with Syria and called on authorities to resolve the issue of funding end-of-service indemnities.