The ministerial committee concerned with the electricity sector decided in its last meeting to proceed with the fuel tender, despite the observations of the Public Procurement Authority.

Caretaker Minister of Energy and Water Walid Fayad explained after the meeting held at Grand Serail last Monday the need to expedite the necessary steps to obtain fuel.

He noted: "The Public Procurement Authority considers that there are flaws in the tender, while we believe that there are no flaws, and we have clear answers to all the items that were raised".

He added: "The committee decided to proceed with this tender, taking into account the observations of the Public Procurement Authority, in addition to researching the shortening of the tender period".

"Al Joumhouria" newspaper mentioned in an article titled "Lebanese government chooses to violate the law to avoid darkness", that "the approval of the tender would ward off the specter of total darkness again, which was expected to take place mid-December".

In this context, Head of the Public Procurement Authority, Jean Ellieh, confirmed that "the Public Procurement Authority has fulfilled all its legal obligations in the fuel tender, and issued Report No. 6, which included fundamental violations of the Public Procurement Law, some of which were committed by the minister personally, in an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of tenders".

Ellieh noted in an interview with the newspaper: "As a public procurement authority, we do our duties and show how to apply legal rules and procedures".

"It is up to the political authority to commit to the recommendations we issue partially or fully or not to commit, and it bears its responsibility toward the legislative authority and public opinion," he added.

On the other hand, Électricité du Liban regretted the political disputes surrounding the electricity file.

The institution has succeeded in raising the collection rate and is working to remove infringements from the network and increase supply hours.

According to sources, the institution will start issuing electricity bills in the Syrian camps starting next week.

The sources said: "After the majority of Lebanese people turned toward renewable energy, it can be said that there is a slight decline in Lebanon's need for energy production".

This article was initially published in Arabic in "Al Joumhouria", translated by Christina Rai.