Energy and Water Minister Announces Boycott of Cabinet Sessions

Minister of Energy and Water Joe Saddi announced his "boycott at this stage, from attending cabinet sessions, until the government assumes its responsibilities towards the energy sector and deals seriously with the proposals submitted to ensure electricity continuity and protect citizens from additional burdens."

The minister's stance came during a press conference held against the backdrop of the worsening global fuel crisis, after a series of warnings he directed to the government, confirming that he had presented them with data related to the crisis's repercussions and offered a set of solutions to secure electricity supply continuity and reduce costs for citizens.

Saddi also affirmed that the decision to boycott is "not an abandonment of responsibility, but rather an adherence to it and raising one's voice on behalf of the Lebanese citizen so that they do not bear alone the burdens of the global energy crisis," stressing that he will continue to exercise full responsibilities and work to protect the continuity of the public service and citizens' rights.

Additionally, the Energy Minister reviewed the reform steps taken by the ministry since he assumed his duties, noting the formation of the Electricity Sector Regulatory Body in application of a law issued 24 years ago that was never implemented, pointing out that the body is currently preparing to launch licenses for electricity production and distribution by the private sector in the coming months.

He also mentioned the appointment of a new board of directors for Electricité du Liban (EDL) and boards of directors for water institutions, aiming to reactivate administration and enhance its efficiency, in addition to reorganizing the distribution and collection sectors concurrently with the halt of treasury advances that burdened the Lebanese people heavily, within a reform path aimed at ensuring long-term service sustainability.

Regarding the measures required to face the fuel crisis, the minister clarified that he demanded the payment of electricity bills owed by ministries and public institutions, but the response was "partial and only once," questioning: "How can we ask the citizen to pay their bill in full, while state institutions themselves do not pay what they owe us so we can purchase fuel?"

He further revealed that he also asked the government to settle the value of the invoice incurred from supporting those affected by the war, which would allow EDL to purchase fuel and secure supply, but said this request has received no response so far.

In this context, Saddi noted that the government secures necessary budgets for the Ministry of Health to cover those affected and displaced persons, while the cost of electricity provided to them is not secured, considering that EDL is a public institution just like government hospitals and other state institutions.

The minister also pointed out that the ministry proposed adopting a dynamic electricity tariff, which is a reform demand, allowing for increased supply hours and reducing the total cost borne by the citizen, especially since the cost of electricity from EDL remains lower than that of private generators.

Furthermore, he indicated that the ministry "warned, provided figures, proposed solutions, and waited for remedies," noting that the last ministerial meeting did not result in any actual response to the proposals presented.

He added: "I am the Energy Minister, and I fulfill my duties in the ministry to apply laws and respect them, securing the operation of the public service at the lowest cost and guaranteeing service continuity for the citizen," considering that his responsibility does not extend to attending cabinet sessions that do not give the energy sector the attention required by the current phase and the global crisis.

He also affirmed that the government as a whole is called upon to assume its responsibilities towards the energy sector and the interests of the Lebanese people as it does with other sectors, warning that the citizen will ultimately bear the cost of failing to address these issues.