Minister of Industry in the caretaker government, Deputy George Boushkian, visited the regional industry department in Baalbek-Hermel at the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Zahle. He met with employees, observed the work progress, and listened to business owners either directly or through an agency. He inquired about the employees' compliance with public service protocols, providing accurate and required information, verifying documents appropriately, and avoiding delays in processing files negatively or positively.
Boushkian clarified that the primary document an industrialist must obtain is the industrial license for their work to be legal and legitimate without any blemish. This license is granted only once and can only be revoked if the holder violates the conditions under which the license was granted, following a warning and a sufficient grace period to correct the existing issues. With the license, one can immediately obtain an industrial certificate valid for one year, which allows for obtaining the Euro1 certificate for exports, importing raw materials and industrial machinery, and registering factory vehicles with the vehicle registration departments.
He stated, "Therefore, a new investor or someone in the industrial sector without a license should change their priorities and focus on ensuring the family legacy, the continuity of the project, and sustained operations. This can only be achieved by obtaining the license. The required conditions and documents for the license are not impossible, and whoever fails to meet them must have some underlying issue. I advise every investor to study the economic feasibility and the legality of the property, its classification, and the legal standing of the construction first."
Boushkian concluded, "The industrial license from the Ministry of Industry is fundamental. Therefore, I urge individuals working in the sector without a license to approach the responsible officials in the ministry to inquire and reassess their files. The reasons for rejection may have changed under new legislation, which could have gone unnoticed by the stakeholders. In this regard, the Ministry of Industry, upon discovering any illegal industrial activity, whether overt or covert in any sector, will close it down without warning."
