Lebanese government should resign in case of a failure to adopt the budget by October 31, Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Friday amid sweeping protests in the country
DAMASCUS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2019) Lebanese government should resign in case of a failure to adopt the budget by October 31, Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Friday amid sweeping protests in the country.Protests erupted on Friday in Beirut and several other cities, including in the east of the country in the Beqaa Valley. Protesters have blocked key highways, including those leading to Beirut Airport and Damascus. In central Beirut, protesters started to clash with security forces with the use of Molotov cocktails and stun grenades.
"If the [budget] issue is not resolved before October 31, the government should resign, as it will be responsible for [the failure]," Bassil said aired by LDC broadcaster.
The demonstrators are rallying against the government's decision to impose a $6 monthly tax on online calls via mobile applications in a bid to raise additional funds for its debt-ridden budget. Moreover, the authorities introduced a new tax on tobacco and announced plans to increase the value-added tax (VAT) to 15 percent by 2020.
Lebanese Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Choucair in the early hours of Friday announced that the decision to impose taxes on online calls would be reversed.
According to the foreign minister, the reasons for the protests are clear and obvious. Bassil said that he personally opposed the introduction of new taxes.
However, in his opinion, the future in the event of the government's resignation is "foggy" and may lead to a split in the society.
