Bassil: Proceed With the File I Submitted on Over $1 Billion in Waste in the Telecommunications Sector
Bassil emphasized: 'We're debating files involving $9 or $10 million in alleged waste, while there's a case involving over $1.5 billion in losses. The termination of telecommunications contracts alone cost the Lebanese state $720 million in damages, $88 million in lost tax revenue, and $96 million in compensation paid to FTML.'
He continued, 'When I served as Minister of Telecommunications, I submitted this case to the Court of Audit, the Public Prosecutor, and the Financial Prosecutor, documenting the embezzlement of over $1 billion. We provided detailed evidence, including cabinet decisions and their violations, contracts and their breaches, and audit reports from KPMG and others. I also called for a full audit of the matter.'
Bassil asserted that the corruption in this case was evident. 'While I was in office, they tried to exempt companies from paying $59 million in VAT. I objected — and that was the thread that led me deeper into the file. What we're looking at is theft of more than $1 billion, with clear violations of cabinet decisions, Court of Audit rulings, and prosecutorial findings.'
He concluded by urging the legislature to act: 'I hope this case proceeds on its rightful path, and that Parliament issues a formal recommendation to thoroughly investigate and study the file.'
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