Deputy Wadih Al-Sadiq stated in a remark on the sidelines of the Public Works and Transport Committee session that "the absence of Minister of Public Works Ali Hamieh from the session discussing the airport is unjustified." He hopes that "there is a fundamental and urgent reason for his absence from a session concerned with the safety of civil aviation and the safety of our children, families, and all those coming to Lebanon, as the topic under discussion for two weeks has raised some doubts regarding the related contracts."
He announced that "today we submitted a report to the Public Prosecution signed by 19 deputies representing 40 deputies, which pertains to public safety at the airport, administrative appointments, and corruption related to the file offers." Al-Sadiq emphasized that "what concerns us primarily is the issue of public safety. The European Union has been sending warnings to the airport since 2014. The latest report issued by 'YASA' five months ago highlighted what the airport needs to pass the audit it will undergo this year. This is the main issue. Corruption files are essential, and if the airport does not pass this AUDIT audit, then..."
He continued: "Duty-free shops and restaurants will not benefit us, nor will we have passengers at the airport. What is concerning is that the airport could be placed on the list of airports not meeting European Union conditions, which means that insurance companies will not cover flights at the airport, and also that international airlines will not land at Rafik Hariri International Airport. Consequently, the airport's traffic would likely be limited to 'Middle East Airlines' and some very minimal flight activity willing to land there."
Al-Sadiq added: "This is what we rejected: the severe warning in the press conference held and the report submitted today to the judiciary in the name of 40 deputies. This is the issue that primarily concerns us, and we must not forget that there are requirements from 'YASA' and the European Union that must begin to be implemented. Unfortunately, the minister seems to have more important matters than Rafik Hariri International Airport and passenger safety, and the responses we received from Fadi Al-Hasan were not adequate. We will focus on the positive aspect, which is that there is a report that will be submitted to the Cabinet after ten or twelve years, and it has been announced in the media covering all the airport's requirements. We support this, with the necessity for accountability for the past period."
He continued: "Today we heard that movements have started towards contracts and specifications, and we support this. We also heard that air traffic controllers who were appointed thirteen years ago will be trained."
Regarding the possibility of a second session to follow up on the file, Al-Sadiq told "We Received": "We were promised a second session. Today, the fire department is not ready, which indicates that there is a significant danger at the airport," wishing the judiciary to move swiftly.
In the same context, member of the "Development and Liberation" bloc, Deputy Mohammad Khawaja, confirmed that the session was very fruitful, stating that "there were convincing answers provided by the director of Beirut International Airport, Fadi Al-Hasan, although some were unconvincing."
In a conversation with "We Received," he said: "We noted observations and requested corrections to the flaws that arose during the discussion." Regarding Minister Hamieh's absence, he said: "Usually, the minister attends and does not miss committee meetings; there will be a second session, and of course, he will be present."
