The Lebanese government on Thursday adopted a program of measures to prevent the collapse of the country's economy amid ongoing protests, the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported
BEIRUT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th February, 2020) The Lebanese government on Thursday adopted a program of measures to prevent the collapse of the country's economy amid ongoing protests, the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported.
According to the news agency, following a meeting that was mostly devoted to economic issues, the country's government vowed to implement the plan, including rather "painful measures" for healing the economic situation and avoiding "a complete collapse."
These measures for overcoming the economic crisis envisage asking donor countries for loans to meet the priority needs of Lebanon, accelerating the issuance of licenses in the fuel and energy sector, and reforming the electricity system, the NNA reported.
The plan is set to be approved next week by parliament, which also needs to hold a vote of confidence in the new Lebanese government.
The new cabinet of Prime Minister Hassan Diab was formed in late January and consists of 20 ministers, including five women, one of whom is the country's first female defense minister. It was renewed in the wake of the mass anti-government protests.
The rallies began last October in response to the government's decision to tax WhatsApp calls. Despite the measure eventually being scrapped, and then-Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his cabinet resigning, people have remained in the streets to demand economic reforms, specifically in the banking sector, due to the worsening living standards amid a wider economic crisis.
