Press Digest for Tuesday March 27, 2012

• LF Party sends potato chips to Syrian refugees in Bekaa
  

According to al-Akhbar newspaper businessmen close to the Lebanese Forces Party provided the Syrian refugees located in Al-Kaa and Saadnayel with four SUV’s loaded with potato chips, bottled water and fresh bread.  

The newspaper added that local and international NGOs met in Shtaura-Bekaa to discuss the details related to Syrian refugees and their humanitarian aid.      

• Expired products trend touch gasoline and fuel oil in Lebanese markets
  

According to Al-Joumhouria newspaper two ships loaded with expired fuel and gasoline oil emptied their load on the 19th of March in Zahrani and Tripoli oil stations.  

Security sources revealed to Al-Joumhouria that the current gasoline in the Lebanese market is composed of 65% of water and 35% of oil residue, adding that such a composition violates the international standards and the Lebanese law related to the use of carburant.  

Fuel truck owners revealed that a test has been made last week to check the composition of the current fuel sold in the market and the result were shocking.      

• Bassil: I am a Lebanese citizen
  

The Minister of Energy Gebran Bassil told As-Safir newspaper that the strike announced by both unions of gas stations owners and fuel trucks owners is against the Lebanese citizens only.  

“I am a Lebanese citizen; I will stand with the people against the unions and the traders. They are asking for a weekly 500LBP raise on gasoline prices, a 5000LBP tax instead of 3000LBP and an 820LBP for the traders and I guess all their demands are rejected”, Minister Bassil was quoted as saying.        

• Mikati-Safadi relationship back on track
  

According to As-Safir newspaper, PM Najib Mikati expressed his discontent with the latest statements pronounced by the Minister of Finance Mohammad Safadi and how these statements were placed out of context by the media.  

The newspaper added that the PM called Safadi in order to set their political alliance back on track after the small rupture that occurred on the electricity issue.