Ya Libnan

Bassil comes under fire at Davos over trip funding

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‘We’re not allowed to have friends like that’: Former Lebanese foreign minister takes heat at Davos for revealing how he funded his trip.

The choice of Gebran Bassil to represent Lebanon at Davos caused huge outrage among the Lebanese people; many of them took to social media to tell the forum they think Bassil has no business being there. In a Twitter poll over 75% said he doesn’t represent them. He claims his father-in-law president Aoun asked him to go

  • -Gebran Bassil, Lebanon’s former foreign minister, said during a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he came to the conference on his own expense, not the Lebanese government’s. 
  • – Instead, Bassil said the trip “was offered to me,” to which CNBC’s moderator said “I’d like to have friends like that.” 
  • – Sigrid Kaag, the Dutch foreign trade minister, chimed in saying that in her government, “we’re not allowed to have friends like that.” 

Gebran Bassil, Lebanon’s former foreign minister, said at Davos on Thursday that he didn’t use money from the Lebanese government to fund his trip to the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski town, but that the trip “was offered to me” — a comment that drew heat from the moderator and a Dutch official.

Bassil’s attendance at the elite conference drew criticism in his home country, which is currently experiencing widespread anti-government protests amid corruption and economic crises. While he’s no longer a foreign minister in the government, he leads the largest political bloc in the country’s parliament. 

After Bassil denied using funds from the Lebanese government for the trip to Davos, CNBC moderator Hadley Gamble asked Bassil if he used family money to fund the trip. He responded, “no, this was offered to me.” 

“I’d like to have friends like that,” said Gamble. 

Sigrid Kaag, the Dutch foreign trade minister, told Bassil that in her home country, “we’re not allowed to have friends like that.” 

BUSINESS INSIDER

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5 responses to “Bassil comes under fire at Davos over trip funding”

  1. Arzna Avatar
    Arzna

    What a Jerk. I heard that he went to Switzerland with crates full of dollars to deposit in his Swiss accounts. I also heard that his father-in-law told him to go in order to check on his Swiss accounts too. What a bunch of hippocrates

    1. JOHN KHOURY Avatar
      JOHN KHOURY

      What you heard is unsubstantiated allegations by disgruntled people or governments. You need to ascertain facts before confounding falsehoods.
      John Khoury Esq

      1. master09 Avatar
        master09

        Crates, coffins or paper bags, it makes no difference. He and the rest have stolen billions and will do anything to keep doing it.
        They all need to be hanged by their ballllllssssss.

        1. JOHN KHOURY Avatar
          JOHN KHOURY

          Would you be able to substantiate your allegations with credible evidence?.
          John Khoury Esq

      2. master09 Avatar
        master09

        Crates, coffins or paper bags, it makes no difference. He and the rest have stolen billions and will do anything to keep doing it.
        They all need to be hanged by their ballllllssssss.

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