Retirees from the Lebanese army clashed with security forces at Parliament when they managed to storm the squares surrounding theLebanese Parliamentin the center of the capital, Beirut, on Monday, in protest against their meager monthly salaries in front of the horror of the economic collapse that is afflicting the country.
Troops managed to push the protesters back and fired tear gas, forcing the elderly retirees to move away and gather nearby to continue their protest and demand better wages and face savings.
The rise came at a time when the doors of banks in Lebanon were partially reopened, on Monday, after a week-long closure due to A wave of thefts targeted seven bank branches At least for this month, to demand the withdrawal of their outstanding savings.
Rejection of the draft budget
These clashes come in front of the parliament headquarters due to the military’s categorical rejection of the budget bill, which they consider does not meet their demands in light of the erosion of their salaries against the dollar exchange rate, which weakens purchasing power.
The Lebanese MP, Elias Khankash, described the project as “balancing the masquerade.”
While retired Omar al-Bahr called on the Lebanese army to allow the demonstrators to storm the parliament, which is discussing the draft budget, saying, “Oh, my country’s army, your fate will be in our ranks.
It is reported that Representative Cynthia Zarazir was beaten in the vicinity of the House of Representatives, as the demonstrators tried to reach the parliament building. Then Zarazir left the council to express her solidarity with the retired military, saying, “We are in a police state that suppresses protesters.”
Lebanon’s talks with the International Monetary Fund on the rescue plan have progressed very slowly, especially in light of the authorities’ failure to implement important reforms, including restructuring the banking sector and lifting bank secrecy laws.
Last week, a visiting delegation from the International Monetary Fund criticized the government’s slowdown in implementing much-needed fiscal reforms.
Therefore, approving the budget is one of the most important The demands of the International Monetary Fund and the commitments of the Lebanese authority to itIn addition to approving the Capital Control Law, banking secrecy, restructuring banks and other items mentioned during the agreement last April.
In the same context, Lebanese banks were closed for two weeks in October 2019 due to financial distress. That year, banks imposed strict limits on cash withdrawals and froze the savings of millions of people.
Since then, the country’s economy has faltered and nearly three-quarters of the population has fallen into poverty as the Lebanese pound has lost more than 90% of its value against the dollar.