Beirut: Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Jibran Bassil warned that the energy minister — a post currently led by Cesar Abi Khalil, a member of Bassil’s Free Movement Movement (FPM) — would sue anyone he deems is “speaking lies” on social media about the energy reform plan.
According to Bassil, Khalil informed him that it was necessary to take legal measures against individuals who assaulted him verbally on Facebook and Twitter, accusing the FPM of monopolising the ministry, especially regarding the planned acquisition of two new Turkish power barges.
Bassil, who was Minister of Energy between November 2009 and February 2014, rented the first two power-generating ships in a controversial deal that may have involved kickbacks.
In March 2013, he secured nearly $1.5 billion (Dh5.5 billion) from the government after he promised round-the-clock electricity by mid-2015 which was never achieved.
Lebanon suffers from acute power shortages as citizens accuse greedy politicians profiting from status-quo set-ups of blocking attempts to improve the situation.
Electricity production in Lebanon only meets up to 50 per cent of the country’s needs.
Bassil’s role in this corruption has been tackled by journalists in the past.
In 2014, Bassil pursued legal action against Executive Magazine for defamation of character, after the publication questioned his role in missing state revenue after the sale of seismic data to oil companies.
Although Bassil lost the lawsuit, he has continued his crusade against any media who dares to criticise or question his dealings.
He was further emboldened after his father-in-law, Michel Aoun, was elected president in October 2016 and since then, has embarked on a systematic campaign of intimidation against those who oppose him.
