The Lebanese Cabinet decided to increase the salaries of workers in the government sector, public bodies and institutions, the military, pensioners, and workers in the private sector, in addition to increasing some allowances to meet the high cost of living.
A statement issued by the Lebanese government presidency, today, stated that the Council decided to give workers in the government sector and public bodies and institutions a temporary compensation, starting from the end of next May, at a rate of four times the salary of public sector employees, contractors, and wage earners, and three times the basic salary of workers in military agencies, and three times the salary. Pension for retired military personnel.
The statement added that it was also decided to add 50 percent to the hourly allowance for contractors in basic education, intermediate and secondary education, vocational and technical education, and formal technical agricultural education.
Najib Mikati, head of the Lebanese caretaker government, pointed out in his speech during a cabinet session to follow up on the protest movements that take place in conjunction with the cabinet session, and said:" We are here to discuss the demands raised, which are mostly right, and to approve them according to the capabilities available in the treasury." He added:" We express our understanding of the cries of the demonstrators, and we affirm that we will spare no effort to follow them up.".
In a related context, military and public sector retirees carried out a sit-in in the center of the capital, Beirut, amid heavy security deployment, coinciding with the cabinet session. The demonstrators summarized their demands, hinting at an escalation, and some of them said that they would continue to stay in front of the Council of Ministers headquarters to obtain their rights and improve their living conditions in light of the shrinking exchange rate of the currency. This comes at a time when Lebanon is facing a stifling economic and living crisis that has led to a rise in the poverty rate in Lebanon to more than 82 percent of the population.
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