The Lebanese government has adopted its budget for 2020 and a reform package to respond to the economic crisis and continued protest by hundreds of thousands of citizens. Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri also did not rule out early parliamentary elections on Monday in Beirut.
The government deficit should be pushed in the coming year to 0.6 percent of economic output, announced Hariri. In the current year, it amounts to around seven percent. No new taxes should be levied on citizens in the coming year.
Rather, the profits of banks would be taxed more heavily. To cut spending, according to Hariri, the salaries of the deputies and ministers should be cut in half. In addition, the Ministry of Information and other public institutions will be abolished, others will be merged.
Hassan Ammar / AP
Protesters in the Lebanese capital Beirut: "Revolution, revolution"
The measures are not intended to prevent the demonstrators from voicing their displeasure, Hariri said. The government must regain the confidence of the population.
But if the demonstrators wanted an early parliamentary election, he would support them. "Your voice is heard, and if you call for early elections I'm personally on your side," Hariri said.
Protesters demand resignation of the government
Protesters in the capital Beirut were dissatisfied with Hariri's announcements and demanded the resignation of the government. They called, among other things, "revolution, revolution". The premier's statement was disappointing, a student said.
Others said they had no confidence in the government. "They try to give us painkillers," a protester said. Because of the protests, many shops and banks in Beirut were closed on Monday.
The protests started on Thursday. Among other things, the announcement was made by the government to charge a daily fee for the use of communication services such as WhatsApp for telephoning. Protesters blocked roads and set fire to barricades. Human rights activists criticized security forces for using excessive force.
The small Mediterranean country with around six million inhabitants struggles with an economic and financial crisis and suffers from the war in neighboring Syria. The national debt is 86 billion US dollars (more than 77 billion euros), which corresponds to a quota of about 150 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). It is one of the highest debt ratios in the world. Critics accuse the government of having dragged on reforms for years.
