Lawmakers Pass Electricity Advance Payment, and Recovery of Stolen Funds Law

A legislative session convened at the UNESCO Palace on Monday and approved credit line for Lebanon’s electricity sector and a law proposal related to recovering stolen public funds.

Lawmakers discussed a 200 million dollar advance payment for the Electricite du Liban (EDL) that was earlier approved by the joint parliamentary committees, amid the objection of the Lebanese Forces and Progressive Socialist Party.

The payment will be disbursed by the Central Bank of Lebanon to enable continued supply of electricity in Lebanon.

On Sunday, the Zahrani power plant in southern Lebanon shut down over a fuel and funds shortages.

Lebanese Forces MP Pierre bou Assi told MTV reporter before joining the meeting at UNESCO: “There is no deficit in the electricity file but rather helplessness. The Free Patriotic Movement is helpless and taking people hostage instead of stepping down.”

Lebanon is grappling with an unprecedented economic and financial crisis rendering it unable to sustain its already problematic electricity sector, amid a paralyzed Lebanese authority.

The credit line, will be funded from the stranded funds of Lebanese in local banks, to what officials claim is better than having the country drown in total darkness.

The credit line will provide Lebanon with electricity for two months.

MP Mario Aoun of the FPM told MTV reporter: “We have to fund electricity from the funds of Lebanese, otherwise we will drown in darkness.”