The French newspaper Libération reported on Thursday, August 4th, that 4,000 Lebanese passports were on sale for as much as $102,000 each.
According to the newspaper, the prospective clients were members of the Syrian Regime and their families.
Reportedly, most of the clients were internationally wanted criminals who are trying to bypass travel bans and Interpol restrictions.
In order for this decree to pass through, however, it would need the signatures of the President, the Prime Minister, and the ministers of Interior and Finance.
The Lebanese PresidencyTwitter account issued a statement denying these claims as “false and baseless. Prime Minister Najib Mikati as well ministers Bassam Mawlawi and Ali Hassan Khalil followed suit.
The office of Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi stated that he sent a letter to Libération protesting the article and asking for an apology from the newspaper and a correction of the article.
The newspaper also claimed that the above-mentioned politicians could “potentially split the proceeds from the passport sales,” which could total as much as $407 million.
These serious accusations come at a time when Lebanese people are struggling to renew their passports due to the ongoing passport crisis.
