Today, Monday, a number of Lebanese military retirees tried to storm Parliament by force to protest against the deteriorating economic conditions in the country, coinciding with a public session in which the country’s budget for the current year is being discussed.
The protesters initially managed to storm the iron barrier of the Parliament Square, before the security forces fired a tear gas grenade and pushed them to retreat.
An army force also arrived at Al-Najma Square to support the Parliament Police and the security forces, where frictions were recorded between the security forces and the demonstrators, who slept on the ground to prevent an attempt to remove them from the place.
The retired soldiers appealed to the Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, to go down to the ground, listen to their demands and work to achieve them.
Retired soldiers protest in front of the Lebanese Parliament and try to storm it in protest of the draft 2022 budget#Lebanon #Beirut pic.twitter.com/oTnLWZOPw4
— Sputnik News Agency (@Sputnik_AR_News) September 26, 2022
Retired Brigadier General George Nader called for a reconsideration of the general budget and fairness to the military, because they have become in a reluctant situation and cannot bring their children to schools and universities and secure a living with dignity.
The demands of retired military personnel are summed up in improving their living conditions and protecting their pensions.
For his part, former MP Shamil Roukoz, who is participating in the sit-in, said that the conditions of the Lebanese military are bad, calling for a review of the budget and fairness to the military, like other state employees.
Since 2019, the Lebanese have been suffering an unprecedented severe economic crisis that has led to a record collapse in the value of the local currency against the dollar, as well as a shortage of fuel and medicine, and the collapse of their purchasing power.
Source : Al Jazeera + Sanad Agency + Lebanese press