Lebanon protests continue for fourth day
Rana Aladdin
Press TV, Beirut
Day four of nationwide rallies in Lebanon saw thousands of people flooding the streets again to protest against corruption and tax hikes.
Protesters also continued to call for the resignation of the country’s government which they blame for plunging the economy into crisis. Late on Saturday, the Lebanese Forces party announced that its four ministers would officially resign from the cabinet.
Demonstrations across the country broke out Thursday in response to new taxes that would help increase state revenues. Among the proposed measures was a 20 cent daily fee on internet voice calls using applications like WhatsApp. Lebanon currently has a public debt of $86 billion and an unemployment rate of a whopping 7 per cent.
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Friday gave political parties a 72 hour notice to agree on new reforms that would help recover the economy. Hariri hinted on Friday that if the parties that make up the ruling coalition fail to agree on the reforms he would resign.
If Hariri resigns it would be harder for the various parties to form a new cabinet. But some political experts rule out the possibility of the collapse of the current government.
The demonstrations have brought Lebanon to a complete standstill, with shops and schools locking their doors, and banks announcing that they will remain closed on Monday.
Lebanese protesters have showed no sign of stopping their demonstrations, saying they will continue until a drastic change is seen to the country’s political system. Many have lost confidence in the government, demanding new reforms that will change the quality of living in Lebanon.
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