Retired servicemen block roads protesting 2027 state budget

Retired military personnel on Wednesday staged protests at the Riad Al-Solh Square, near the entrance to Parliament, and in other locations in the country to reject the 2027 draft state budget, which failed to include any adjustment to ranks and salaries.

They criticized authorities for overlooking their demands, accusing them of being indifferent to the hardships they face in meeting their living expenses.

The protesters demanded that the minimum wage be raised to $1,200, citing the exorbitant cost of basic goods and living necessities, which far exceeds their limited incomes.

These demonstrations coincide with the second day of the general budget debate at the Grand Serail, scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM.

Protesting servicemen blocked the coastal highway near Batroun and the Casino du Liban, the entrance to the city of Baalbek, as well as Banks Street in downtown Beirut. The highway was eventually re-opened.

Ex-MP Chamel Roukoz, a representative of the protesters, later announced that a positive meeting was held with the relevant ministers over the retirees' demands, adding that they were waiting for the Finance Ministry's numbers to decide their next steps.

"We will stay on the streets, but without escalation or burning of tires," he added.

The retired servicemen and other public sector employees have repeatedly protested their wages and living conditions in the wake of the 2019 financial crisis.