Syrians Given till August 15 to Rectify Legal Conditions of their Businesses
Unlicensed businesses owned by Syrians in the the eastern Bekaa valley will be shut by August 15 if they fail to acquire the legal permits, An Nahar newspaper reported on Monday.
“In an attempt to end illegal economic competition the 377 unlicensed shops and business in the Bekaa will be closed if their legal permits weren't rectified,” a report published by An Nahar said.
According to the daily, a meeting held last week in Zahle Serail decided that any Syrian seeking to open a business in the near future should acquire a legal permit or the Internal Security Forces will shut it.
“The measures take in the Bekaa (in villages near the border with Syria) will be applied in other regions across Lebanon,” the report said.
The Lebanese state argues that the Syrians the right to work to feed themselves on building sites or other sectors but not in trade or in businesses that require a permit.
Many Syrian refugees are forced to sleep rough on the streets because they can not afford to rent somewhere to live.
But the presence of 600,000 alongside a population of just four million has sparked mounting friction.
A recent opinion poll found that 54 percent of respondents believed Lebanon should close its doors to the refugees. A full 82 percent said that the refugees were stealing jobs from Lebanese.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/92291 |