Lebanese Energy Minister: Fuel stock is enough for up to two weeks

 The Minister of Energy and Water in the Lebanese caretaker government, Raymond Ghajar, announced that there are 66 million liters of gasoline in the tanks of the importing companies, and 109 million liters of diesel, in addition to the quantities available at the distribution stations, which suffice the Lebanese market for a period ranging from 10 days and two weeks.

This came during a meeting that included the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Riad Salameh, and the Minister of Energy and Water in the Lebanese caretaker government, Raymond Ghajar, to discuss the information circulated on the audio-visual media and social media today regarding the fuel crisis and the queues of cars in front of stations.

The Lebanese Minister of Energy added that the quantities of gasoline, diesel and domestic gas that were imported during the current year and until today represent an increase of 10% over the quantities imported during the same period in 2019, indicating that the situation was normal and the movement of the economy in general was better than this year.

He explained that the Central Bank of Lebanon has granted permissions to banks to open fuel import credits, provided that the mandatory specifications are not violated, calling on officials to take the necessary measures in this regard because it is not within its powers.

Raymond Ghajar indicated that Medco - one of the largest companies importing refined petroleum products in Lebanon - obtained the approval of the Central Bank of Lebanon for the credits provided by its bank more than two months ago in order to import two shipments of Fuel with a total value of 28 million US dollars, and the quantities were not emptied until its history.

It is worth noting that social media circulated news today saying that gas stations were disrupted today due to the near depletion of fuel stocks in Lebanon, which is witnessing an economic crisis that the World Bank has classified as among the 3 most severe crises in the world since the mid-nineteenth century AD.