Member of the "Democratic Gathering" bloc, MP Wael Abu Faour, held a press conference at the Parliament regarding the flour and bread crisis, asserting that "the current crisis is fabricated and we all see the lines of humiliation in front of bakeries, reminding us of what occurred with other goods as well." Abu Faour said, "Some find it easy to associate the crisis with the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, which is not the main cause. The real reason is our lack of compassion for one another, and the corruption and theft happening with flour and in the manner of dealing with bread."
He continued, "The theoretical mechanism approved by the Ministry of Economy stipulates that every baker, whether large or small, must submit a request to the Ministry of Economy through the Directorate of Grains and Sugar Beet. Based on this request, they receive a coupon commensurate with their annual consumption of wheat or flour, which is distributed to people in line with their annual consumption." He added, "This mechanism is theoretical, while the actual mechanism is that there is an organized gang controlling the receipt and distribution of flour, leading to the crisis we have reached through corruption, theft, monopoly, and smuggling."
Abu Faour stated, "Let me start from the top, from the Ministry of Economy and the Directorate of Grains and Sugar Beet, which I hold primarily responsible for the corruption and devastation happening. I also hold the Directorate accountable as it sponsors and manages organized corruption and theft through high-ranking employees in the directorate." He pointed out that "the second link in the chain of corruption is the traders. Some transport and trade, while others collect the coupons from bakeries or take the names of bakeries and put the coupons in their name, resulting in flour not reaching the bakery but being smuggled, stored, or sold on the black market. Security agencies have uncovered several warehouses containing flour for bakeries that are tens of kilometers away from storage to avoid suspicion."
He added, "Some bakeries sell their coupons to another bakery or trader, or smuggle them to Syria through illegal crossings," reminding that "we subsidize flour 100% through the Central Bank, yet a large portion of it is smuggled to Syria or bartered or sold on the black market," noting that "security agencies have discovered quantities of flour whose bags have been replaced with new ones and are being sold on the black market."
Regarding mills, Abu Faour said, "Some mills are partners in this organized gang that is stealing flour and bread from Lebanese citizens." He added, "This information is available to the security agencies, and the Lebanese security agency, specifically the Information Branch, has submitted a sufficient report to the government and the Higher Defense Council detailing all traders’ names, bakery owners, mills, companies, and warehouses connected to smuggling to Syria."
Abu Faour emphasized that "court action is required starting from the top of the hierarchy, considering these statements today as a notification to the public prosecutor, urging Financial Prosecutor Judge Ali Ibrahim to act based on this matter." He stressed that "the security agencies have all the details, and thus this issue should be prevented, as it is unacceptable to spend what remains of the Central Bank's reserves supporting the trader, monopolies, and smuggling instead of the product." He considered that "this issue applies not only to flour but also to medicine and medical supplies which are also being stolen."
In conclusion, Abu Faour addressed Minister of Economy and Trade in the caretaker government Amin Salam, saying: "Start with the narrow circle around you in the Ministry of Economy, which is the basis of corruption," holding "responsibility for covering up the corruption and devastation in the flour file, as well as the selectivity of some employees in distributing coupons to the Directorate of Grains and Sugar Beet, with the security agencies knowing the name of the person responsible for managing the game of corruption."
