Lebanon minister vows to expel Swedes if Stockholm deports Lebanese families

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Lebanese Labour minister Sij'aan Qazzi,
Lebanese Labour minister Sij’aan Qazzi,

Lebanon’s Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi on Monday warned Sweden of tit-for-tat action if it deports dozens of Lebanese families as part of its reported decision to ask tens of thousands of foreigners to leave the country.

“Qazzi sent a letter to Swedish Ambassador to Lebanon Peter Semneby, asking for clarifications regarding the deportation of a number of Lebanese who are working in Sweden,”  National News Agency reported.

“If this expulsion is unjustified legally and security-wise, the Lebanese Labor Ministry will take similar measures against Swedes working in Lebanon, regardless of their professions and status,” NNA quoted Qazzi as saying in the letter.

“The Labor Ministry rejects that Lebanese citizens be treated in this manner abroad, as if they have no defender or a State that protects them,” the minister stressed.

In this regard, Qazzi has asked the ministry’s relevant departments to provide him with a list of the names of the Swedish citizens who work in Lebanon.

“We will take this measure against any state that does not respect Lebanese employees, unless their presence violates the law or poses a security threat to the host country,” the minister pledged.

Swedish authorities had recently stripped over 75 Lebanese families of medical and social aid cards that had been granted to them by the Swedish state, media reports said. The Lebanese families had traveled to Sweden in the wake of the 2006 war.

According to An Nahar newspaper, the decision has no political motives seeing as the families hail from several Lebanese regions and their religious affiliations are diverse.

Quoting Lebanese diplomatic sources, the newspaper said that the expulsion decision is not limited to Lebanese citizens but is rather part of a judicial decision to deport around 65,000 foreign expats from the country.

Qazzi who represents the   Phalange Party in the cabinet did  not abide by his party’s  June 2016 decision  to resign from Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s government.

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17 responses to “Lebanon minister vows to expel Swedes if Stockholm deports Lebanese families”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Maybe they can get ‘deported’ to Canada … what happens then, Qazzi??
    I’ll be really interested in seeing how many REAL Swedes work in Lebanon too, actually, since Lebanese Ladies can’t get a job there, and even had jobs taken away from them.
    I mean, if you want to talk about a state that “does not respect Lebanese employees”, then you better look a little closer to your own garbage-filled back yard.

    1. Hind Abyad Avatar
      Hind Abyad

      Look at the accusations at Lebanon, they love Lebanon, that’s why they’re here.

  2. Oh Yeah Avatar

    Dose the Lebanese Minister knows what he wants, or is he trying to be as bold as Erdogan towards the EU?

    Sejaan Qazzi opposes integration of Syrian refugees in labor market at the same time he comes with accusations against a EU country.
    The question is if the Lebanese citizens overstayed longer in that country, than the working visas allowed.
    There are no exceptions when it comes to foreigners, and it’s god that they have a defender that protects them.

    Lebanon failed again to decide who will be the next Lebanese president (for the 43rd time…..), so they concentrate politics with external ‘problems’.

  3. Respond don’t react!

  4. Seriously??the Swedish deport illegals and you deport all swedish?
    How many of them are in Lebanon anyway ?few hundred at best and I assure you they are not in Lebanon for driving taxies and selling shawarma..they are probably high end professionals of some big company investing in Lebanon…
    Sure Mr, deport them all…your economy is doing wonderfully…you can afford loosing some money…

    1. Yalibnan gives a very unclear description of this case, no names of the families nor any description why they will be deported.

      If Swedish authorities had recently stripped the 75 Lebanese families of medical and social aid cards, that points to the assumption that those Lebanese families ware seeking asylum and didn’t get it.

      I think its the same well known story that was told in “Bild” for some years ago – the Ghazali families and other that refused to accept the Swedish immigrations authorities decision not to grant them permeant permits (asylum) based on there stories of asylum because of political reasons.

      The Swedes started with hard gloves treatment after they have changed the reception rules – many asylum seekers are sent back to Germany, where they failed to get asylum status.

      1. Yep,expired visas or failing to receive asylum,t that’s my guess as well.
        Swedes are famous (or used to)for tolerance towards mid East emigration.the Lebanese minister is only making it worst by drawing attention to the case.

        1. Hind Abyad Avatar
          Hind Abyad

          It’s his job.

        2. The Swedes are taking gold medal in ‘efficiency’ of bureaucracy.

          Swedish immigration authorities are known for their lack of efficiency and inhumane treatment of asylum seekers that may appeal countless times – the results is that many have been waiting for YEARS, since the immigration authorities waiting for the police to take over and deport….

          You should have seen the Swedish police making passport controls – making registrations with a smartphone photo……

          This is making headlines in the Arab world – http://www.albawaba.com/news/sweden-expel-80000-refugees-798794 with the support of Press TV….

    2. Hind Abyad Avatar
      Hind Abyad

      They were not illegals..

      1. Might be yet the bottom line is the same, expired temporary resident visa or asylum request denial is usually follows by denial of rights that flow from that status.
        Till someone explained the legal status of the families ,we’re all just assuming here

        1. They never had any temporary resident visa, it wasn’t any expired temporary resident visa that resulted in the deportation affirmation.

          According to a reliable sources, it have been over ten years since the family came to Sweden from Lebanon, but now it is clear that they are not allowed to stay.

          The family came to Sweden in September 2006 and applied for asylum because of political reasons.
          In March 2007, they were refused asylum.

          The Migration Court also rejected the appeal of the decision and the Migration Court of Appeal refused them leave to appeal.

          Reactions by the Swedes in the subject was crystal clear;
          “The family came to Sweden in September 2006 and applied for asylum because of political reasons. In March 2007, they were refused.
          So they were rejected almost immediately but lived here illegally? Or have I got it wrong?”

          You don’t need to assume anymore.

          1. Well then ,case solved 🙂

        2. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Frustrating to only get ‘bits’ of ‘news as it happens’ without any full story, isn’t it?
          Probably what Qazzi feels too. :-))

          1. Lol..if he got any brains at all,he is probably sorry for speaking without using it 🙂 yet you are right,this article is not clear enough to start a debate who is right and who is wrong.
            Shabbat Shalom 5th

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