Lebanon on Wednesday reopened Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, resuming air traffic to and from Lebanon.
In this context, Minister of Public Works and Transportation, Michel Najjar, and Minister of Public Health, Hamad Hassan, carried out an inspection tour during which they examined the measures that will be adopted in line with the resumption of activities at the airport.
During the tour, which included the passengers' arrival hall, a dispute occurred between a number of media representatives and members of the airport's security due to overcrowding in the area designated for conducting PCR tests for returning travelers.
However, the Minister of Works appealed to all the local, Arab, and foreign media to portray the big picture about Lebanon, and not to delve into details that can only give a negative impression to those wishing to return to Lebanon.
"Today, we play a fundamental role in our country, as we reopen this facility, which is the harbor of transit into the world," he said.
Regarding the high prices of travel tickets, Najjar pointed out that "the Middle East Airlines is a commercial institution that is not owned by the Lebanese state, and thus it is not possible to interfere in this matter."
In turn, the Minister of Health said, "At the airport, we're receiving approximately 2,200 passengers a day. The required procedures that are usually followed upon the arrival of this number of travelers used to take up to one week, but now all the procedures will take place on the same day."
Furthermore, Hassan pointed to the necessity of commitment to security and administrative measures at the airport in a bid to protect the Lebanese society. "Preventing these measures from being implemented would expose the community to grave obstacles," Hassan added.
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