Bassil: Oil body does not allocate seats for sects and confessions

Energy Minister Gebran Bassil told a press conference on Thursday that the decision to establish a body governing the oil sector is a good step; “however it is not an achievement as some are making it out to be since it was decided in the first month of the year.”

Following meetings with delegations from the Association of Petroleum Importing Companies and the GLC, Bassil stressed that many have tried to hamper and obstruct the creation of this body and change its decree as well as the nature of its work.  

The energy minister added that, years after using bodies and committees to create some kind of an alternative for state institutions and ministries, the oil body is an opportunity to avoid for once allocating a specific number of seats for sects and confessions.

Bassil said that he supports bodies that fall under the umbrella of ministries, abide by their laws and have consultative, controlling and organizational natures.

The minister also stressed that negotiations regarding electricity-generating ships aim at stalling and buying time.