The head of the Federation of Bakeries and Bakeries Unions in Lebanon, Captain Nasser Sorour, considered that “what is happening in the fuel price file is no longer just a glitch in pricing, but rather has become a blatant example of the exhaustion of citizens and productive sectors, most notably the ovens and bakeries sector, which bears additional burdens daily that threaten its continuity.” Sorour said, in a statement, “The numbers alone reveal the magnitude of the paradox. When the price of a barrel of oil was about $65, the price of a ton of diesel was approximately $635. When the price of a barrel exceeded $120, the ton of diesel rose to $1,280. Today, after the price of a barrel of oil declined to around $73, the price of a ton of diesel is still approximately $1,028, while the prices of fuel and commodities remain high as if nothing has changed.” When oil prices rose under the pretext of tension in the Strait of Hormuz, companies rushed to raise the prices of oil derivatives, and with them the cost of transportation and production and the prices of all commodities rose. Today, after this crisis has subsided and oil prices have declined globally, why have prices not decreased and who holds the monopolists accountable? And where is the role of the government, its ministries and its regulatory agencies? He stressed that "the government's role should not be limited to collecting taxes, while the citizen pays the price twice: once when he buys fuel, and once when he buys basic goods. The state collects more than 530,000 Lebanese pounds in taxes and fees on every tank of gasoline, while it stands unable to protect citizens from monopoly and unfair pricing." He stressed that "a loaf of bread is directly affected by energy prices, because diesel and gasoline are used to operate ovens and transport flour and bread to various regions. Any delay in correcting fuel prices directly reflects on the cost of production and threatens the food security of citizens." He asked: "Where is the tax government in this dangerous file? Have taxes become the only solution to every crisis, while accountability, oversight and justice are absent? The Federation of Bakeries and Ovens Syndicates in Lebanon calls on the government to take immediate action to reconsider the fuel pricing mechanism, open a transparent investigation into the reasons for the continued high prices despite the decline in global oil prices, and put an end to any monopoly or unjustified profits at the expense of the livelihood of the Lebanese people." He concluded: "Enough of the drain on the citizen and the productive sectors. Enough of the taxes without reform. The people want a state that protects them, not a state that is only good at collecting fees."