The Minister of Industry in the caretaker government, George Bouchkian, confirmed that "the extension of the Army Commander is not stalled, but it needs presidential consensus and is under discussion and will be presented to the Parliament, after which a decision will be made." Bouchkian stated, in an interview with "Voice of Lebanon" radio: "Despite the opposition of the Free Patriotic Movement, other blocs are moving towards the extension due to the peculiarities of the military institution," pointing out that "there is a consensus among most parties, as we are in a delicate phase until a new President of the Republic is elected and a new Army Commander is appointed."
Regarding the presidential election, he noted that "the vision is clear since the presidential file is linked to regional and international developments, and therefore the election of the president is postponed until the situation in the region improves." In response to a question about the economic situation and oversight of national products during the holiday season, Bouchkian revealed that "Lebanese national products have made significant progress, with more than 110 products competing globally, and the revenues are estimated at nine billion dollars annually."
As for the price differences between local and imported products, he clarified that "the price difference is due to post-manufacturing factors, and the oversight is the responsibility of the Ministry of Economy, not Industry," emphasizing that "the absence of oversight is unacceptable, and prices should be set weekly." He called for "issuing a price list on a weekly basis, especially to prevent manipulation during the holiday season."
