Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat --Lebanese President Michel Aoun signed a decree to naturalize dozens of personalities, including Syrian businessmen, stirring a wave of controversial reactions amid fears of resettlement plans. A Lebanese minister, who declined to be identified, said the decree included the names of businessmen of Syrian, Syrian-Palestinian, Western and Gulf nationalities, noting that the Lebanese authorities had considered individual and collective requests for businessmen facing problems and obstacles in their work. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the minister said that the largest batch of names came from the Maronite Foundation in the World, and only 10 Syrians were included in the new decree. The decree gave citizenship to around 300 people, including Syrians, Palestinians, Iraqis, Jordanians, Yemenis, Tunisians, Egyptians, Saudis, Germans, French, British, Iranians, Chileans, Americans and Indians.

The Central News Agency quoted well-informed sources as saying that those benefiting from the new decree included businessmen whose naturalization might contribute to stimulating the economy through the creation of investments and employment opportunities. Kataeb parliamentary bloc member, MP Nadim Gemayel, said: “This is the start of a nationalization project at the national level which is categorically rejected,” pointing out that “the naturalization decree is a real threat to the balance between the communities.” “The president usually takes this step at the end of his term, but when the naturalization scandal is to compensate for election expenses and other expenses, it becomes totally unacceptable,” he stressed. “We have to know who has been given citizenship, and this subject will not pass unnoticed; we will examine the possibility of appeal before the Shura Council immediately after it is published in the Official Gazette,” Gemayel also said.MP Neemat Frem expressed his support to the naturalization of expatriates of Lebanese origins, meaning giving citizenship to those who are entitled to it. “But if what is said about the naturalization of others is true, then it would be a surprise and questions must be raised about the background” of such decision, he added.