Salaries of civil servants increased almost 4 times in Lebanon, which is in economic crisis

With the participation of the Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, an “exceptional meeting of the council of ministers” was held at the Government Palace in the capital, Beirut.

After the talks, Lebanese Information Minister Ziyad Mekari held a press conference on the government’s decision to improve the salaries of civil servants.

Mekari stated that the minimum salary for civil servants has been increased from 2.6 million Lebanese liras (27 dollars) to 9 million (90 dollars).

Saying that the new salaries will start to be paid from May 1, Mekari noted that the lowest pension has been increased to 7 million lira ($72).

Mekari said that due to the high rise in fuel prices, some adjustments have been made to the road fee and a daily fee of 450,000 lira ($5) will be paid to public officials.

ORGANIZED SHOWS

Retired soldiers and public employees have been demonstrating since March in front of the Government Palace to improve their salaries.

Police responded with tear gas to protesters who wanted to break through the chain-link barricade erected by security forces. The protesters then left the area without incident.

ECONOMIC CRISIS

Events such as the demonstrations that began in Lebanon in October 2019, the resignation of the government, the explosion of the port in Beirut and the outbreak of Covid-19 deeply affected the country’s economy.

In an environment of economic crisis that has been going on for about 3.5 years, deposit accounts in dollars in banks were frozen to prevent the melting of foreign currency reserves.

In the country, 1 US dollar traded at 1,500 Lebanese lira in 2019, while the depreciation of the local currency increased simultaneously with successive developments.

While 1 US dollar was 20,000 Lebanese lira in January 2022, its depreciation has continued to increase rapidly in the past year.

In the World Bank report released in November 2022, it was stated that the financial loss in Lebanon exceeded $72 billion.

In Lebanon, where 80 percent of the population is reported to be on the poverty line, the dollar, which traded at the 100,000 Lebanese lira level on the black market on March 14, broke a new record. by reaching 140,000 lire on March 1. twenty-one

Currently, the black market is trading at $97 thousand.

Before the crisis, a civil servant in Lebanon received a thousand dollars in salary, now that 90 percent has been reduced to less than 100 dollars. (AA)