October 9, 2026
The concerns of the National Economy, Industry, Trade and Planning Parliamentary Committee, during its weekly meeting headed by MP Farid Al-Bustani and attended by members, were divided between the insurance sector, a judicial file at the Ministry of Economy, and the issues of “Al-Nafa’a” and fighting fires in the Chouf.
Regarding the insurance sector, Al-Bustani stressed that work is continuing to reach an implementable legal formula to regulate the work of mediation and representation in the field of guarantee (commercial insurance), stressing the necessity of preserving the sector in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, especially in light of the faltering banking sector and the depositor crisis. He pointed out that the committee listens to various concerned parties and consumers to find out their problems, stressing the existence of common ground and consensus on a number of points in preparation for discussing the legal formula.
In a separate judicial file, Al-Bustani indicated that he is awaiting the issuance of the ruling on the report he previously submitted to the Ministry of Economy against former Minister Amin Salam, his brother Karim Salam, and the head of the Syndicate of Accounting Experts, Elie Abboud. He explained that the case witnessed differing positions regarding the existence of violations that require accountability, and included accusations of embezzlement of funds, stressing that the final word rests with the judiciary.
On another level, Al-Bustani praised the performance of the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Ahmed Al-Hajjar, praising the transparency and standards of the tender that was conducted to reactivate the Traffic, Machinery, and “Utility Vehicles” Management Authority and restore its activity, under the supervision of Brigadier General Nazih Qebrosli and in cooperation with the Public Procurement Authority.
Regarding the environmental issue, Al-Bustani appreciated the visit of the Minister of Environment, Tamara Al-Zein, to the Chouf region and her interest in the issue of fighting fires, noting the region’s previous suffering from recurring fires in light of the limited roads and equipment, and praising its response to the region’s demands by working to secure the necessary materials and equipment to confront these crises.
