Fuel Stations and Distributors Unite: Immediate Intervention Needed

A statement from the Syndicates of Fuel Stations and Fuel Distributors in Lebanon noted: "The fuel price schedule issued by the Directorate General of Oil today accounted for the dollar exchange rate based on the Sayrafa rate, without providing a mechanism for fuel station owners and distributors to access Sayrafa dollars. This has caused a disruption in the market, forcing most station owners to close down, resulting in congestion at the remaining stations." The statement emphasized that "the price schedule was computed based on 38,000 Lebanese pounds, while the black market rate fluctuates between 44,000 and 45,000 Lebanese pounds, and the lack of Sayrafa dollars for the sector has led to the situation we witnessed today, which will continue if not addressed promptly." They called on "Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Minister of Energy in the caretaker government Dr. Walid Fayad to intervene immediately to rectify this issue."