The Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rasamny, announced that the number of popular licensed beaches along the Lebanese coast reached 20 beaches this year, after the ministry granted 13 new permits to organize beaches that were not previously regulated, added to permits granted last year and previous years, stressing that “the permits are subject to strict terms and conditions that specify the requirements for organization, safety, and basic services.” Rasamny indicated that the Ministry is monitoring the extent of compliance with it, stressing that entities that do not implement the required conditions will not have their permits renewed.” He said: "We want to make wider areas of the beach available to people for free, but within clear rules that protect their visitors and ensure proper management." The new permissions include: Ghazir, Nahr Ibrahim, Al-Mansif, Jounieh, Kafr Abida, Dbayeh - Zouk Al-Kharab, Hahum, Hamat, Al-Aqiba, Sidon, Al-Ghaziyeh, Sarafand and Al-Bisariya. Previously granted permissions include: Barbara, Qlayaat, Tabarja and Kafriassin, the Amchit Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, the Big Blue Campaign Association - Ramlet El Bayda, Jbeil and Sarafand. He stressed that "the expansion of popular beaches establishes a basic concept, which is that the sea remains available to everyone, and that access to it is accompanied by regulation and safety."