The Executive Council of the Syndicate of Gas Station Owners in Lebanon held an extraordinary meeting, headed by Captain George Al-Bareks, in which it discussed the current conditions and the delicate circumstances that the sector is going through, in light of the increasing financial and operational difficulties and challenges that are putting pressure on station owners in various Lebanese regions. Following the meeting, the Council issued a statement in which it called on “all parties and political officials not to involve the rights of station owners in any political debates or tensions.” The union affirmed that “its work is purely union-professional, aiming first and foremost to serve citizens, ensure the stability of this vital sector, and defend the rights of station owners, away from any alignments.” The Council stressed that “the station’s fixed and specified commission from the Ministry of Energy and Water has become less than the actual operational cost, which has multiplied several times as a result of the sharp rise in municipal fees, National Social Security Fund contributions, and work leave and residency fees for foreign workers, not to mention the exorbitant cost of operating electric generators and the repercussions of financial inflation affecting various operational goods and services, especially after the decline in sales volume by between 20 and 30 percent.” He believed that "the government authority that fixed the station owner's commission and turned him into a 'semi-employee with a fixed salary' was unable, in return, to fix the operational expenses and burdens imposed on him, but rather deliberately increased the fees and taxes on its own." The Council affirmed that the union has not yet resorted to “negative options,” such as movements and strikes, based on its national responsibility and its keenness not to disrupt a vital sector whose cessation might lead to paralysis in the country,” stressing at the same time that this keenness “does not mean giving up rights.” He called on station owners in various Lebanese regions to "patience and join hands during this stage," stressing "the continuation of communications and negotiations with the concerned authorities to reach solutions and obtain just rights."