L'Orirnt Today

Parliament approved the nine-month overdue 2022 budget with a deficit of over LL10 trillion, but included salary raises for public sector employees. The budget received 63 votes in favor, 37 against and six abstentions. The International Monetary Fund — which stipulated Lebanon must adopt a credible, balanced budget as a prerequisite to accessing a multi-billion dollar aid package — previously demanded the Sayrafa exchange rate be used in the budget calculations. However, the head of the Finance and Budget Committee, Ibrahim Kanaan, told L'Orient Today that the exchange rate used to calculate the budget was set at LL15,000, further obfuscating attempts to find a unified exchange rate. During the session, MPs continued to voice complaints about the text, particularly a lack of clarity in figures supplied by the Finance Ministry and “unrealistic” income projections. “The increase in salaries will only activate the money printing press and increase inflation,” Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel said, as protesters demanding improved compensation rallied around Parliament. Security forces launched teargas to disperse protesters. "We will strive to dissolve the parliamentary police immediately," Forces of Change MP Halimé El Kaakour said yesterday evening, responding to the security apparatus’ alleged affronts against MP Cynthia Zarazir while she was in the crowd of protesters — apparently indicative of a pattern of abuse of power by the police body stretching back to Oct. 17, 2019, when many protesters were injured in mass demonstrations around the country.