EU extends €44m to Lebanon to help Syrian refugees

The European Union (EU) has so far extended 44 million euros to the Syrian refugees in addition to individual assistances from member states, a European Parliament Member (MEP) said here Friday. Marisa Matias, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s (EP) Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries, made the remarks at a news conference at the EU mission in Beirut at the end of her five-day visit. She said talks with the Lebanese officials dealt with the conflict in neighboring Syria and how it was affecting political and social life in Lebanon. Matias said they have also discussed the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and reforms of the electoral law of Lebanon. She thanked Lebanon for keeping its borders open for the Syrians, as well as Beirut’s huge efforts to helping the Syrian refugees. Matias noted that Lebanon was bearing a huge political, security and economic burden due to the influx of refugees. During the visit, Matias and her delegation met with government officials, parties’ leaders and NGOs’ representatives.