Lebanese “REGIE” aspires to regional ambitions after its domestic successes

The Annahar newspaper in its issue of January 14, published an interview with the The director general of La Regie Libanaise Des Tabacs et Tombacs (REGIE), Nassif Siqlawi, to examine the success of this institution, especially after agreements with international companies were signed, and to find out if the regional ambition of “REGIE” contradicts with its policy of support for local products. In this context Siqlawi pointed out that the agreement with “Imperial Tobacco” the owner of Gitanne and Gauloise  and other, is an introduction to agreements with other international companies, emphasizing that manufacturing foreign products as it is the case with local  products is part of the exclusive mandate of REGIE. Siqlawi added that the manufacturing process is achieved through exclusive mandate of the REGIE, this situation will result in increase of profits of “REGIE” and allows it to continue to support the Lebanese tobacco. When the newspaper asked about the right of REGIE to dispense with treasury money for community support within the framework of its social responsibility, and do the social security or electricity administration have the right to conduct a similar action, Siqlawi clarified that “REGIE” has become one of the most important public institution in Lebanon that are profitable and supportive of the general treasury (7.5% of total treasury revenues come from REGIE), consequently its legal status differs from that of the Electricity of Lebanon and the Social Security; Siqlawi continued by pointing out that a wide review by the agency on legislation as well as a consultation of the Ministry of Justice gave the “REGIE” the right to “provide grants to philanthropic institutions and to government administration. It is noteworthy that during the last five years, “the REGIE” contributed to government treasury with 75.5 % of the revenue from the tobacco sector which amounted to USD 2,666 billion. (Annahar January, 14, 2017)