Choucair Orders Sale of Recharge Cards according to Official Exchange Rate

Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Mohammed Choucair on Monday ordered mobile network operators touch and Alfa to sell prepaid recharge cards according to the official dollar exchange rate set by the central bank, after dollar rationing in the country led to a hike in prices.

“After a series of meetings and contacts held by Minister Choucair with the various parties and officials concerned with the issue of recharge cards, it has been decided to deliver these cards to distributors in Lebanese lira and according to the official US dollar exchange rate set by Banque du Liban,” Choucair’s press office said in a statement.

“Accordingly, Minister Choucair has asked the two mobile network firms and their distribution employees to sell these cards to citizens according to the set prices as of tomorrow, Tuesday, calling on the Ministry of Economy and Commerce and the Consumer Protection Directorate to prosecute anyone who violates this decision,” the statement added.

The statement also said that the minister has sought to find a solution that “does not contradict with the contracts signed with the two mobile network operators, which limit the jurisdiction of changing the prices of recharge cards to the government exclusively.”

The statement also reminded citizens that they can continue to purchase recharge cards according to the official exchange rate through the 300 touch and Alfa centers spread across Lebanon, ATM machines and the Alfa and touch websites and mobile applications.