‘Libyan negligence’ of debt dues affects Jordan tourism facilities negatively

AMMAN — The issue of financial dues the Libyan government owes Jordanian tourism facilities remains an issue, according to a statement circulated by head of the committee for those affected by the Libyan debt, Mohammad Sinan.

In the statement, Sinan said that the financial dues amounting up to JD112 million, JD12 million of which have been audited and JD100 million that yet need to be audited.

All facilities are prepared for auditing and ready to provide the necessary papers, the statement said, adding that they have been demanding unsuccessfully for years that the Libyan side audit.

Sinan urged the government and the concerned entities in regards to the Libyan file, to end the problem, which he said has been stuck since 2011, and resolving it could help tourism facilities to shoulder the financial burdens they are struggling with. 

He complained about “the lack of interest” from the Libyan side in regards to the financial dues on its citizens, including housing, food and drink for over eight years.

The amounts accumulated are for owners of tourism facilities, who have been struggling even before the coronavirus crisis, Sinan said in the statement, adding that most of them have been damaged further due to the crisis. 

For the past two years, Sinan said the Libyan side “only gave promises”, in spite of the protests and sit-ins that dozens of the affected have carried out, but to no avail.

The dues have been piling up since 2011, owed to over 140 tourism facilities, including hotels, restaurants and tourism and travel agencies.