'We Want Accountability' Protesters Block Finance Ministry, Reject Tax Hikes

W300

Civil society activists from the 'We Want Accountability' campaign gathered on Wednesday near the Finance Ministry in a move they said aimed at discouraging the government from imposing new taxes.

The campaigners gathered near the building preventing the employees from entering.

One of the protesters, Wasef Harakeh, said: “We will not be silent about the people's rights. If the State improves its imports and puts an end to squandering (of public funds) there will be no need to impose new taxes.”

The group's move comes in line with a legislative session set to convene for the second consecutive day after it approved on Tuesday the long-awaited wage scale for civil servants and the armed forces but without a final agreement on the sources of funding.

Parliamentary blocs are still divided over the resources to fund the scale, mainly over some proposed taxes that the private sector has warned against. They have warned that new taxes would have “a negative impact on the country's economy and state finances."

SourceNaharnet
Comments 1
Missing new_his over 6 years

http://www.beirutreport.com/2015/11/how-did-minister-bassil-acquire-22m-of-real-estate.html

Here's a good report about bassil