Lebanon endorses 2020 state budget

Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-27 22:11:45|Editor: huaxia

BEIRUT, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Parliament endorsed on Monday the 2020 state budget, Al-Jadeed local TV channel reported.

The 2020 state budget estimates revenues to stand at 13,325 billion Lebanese pounds (8.8 billion U.S. dollars) which are not enough to pay the public sector salaries, social aids and debt servicing, according to head of the finance and budget committee Ibrahim Kanaan.

The newly appointed government will adopt the draft budget prepared by the cabinet of Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri while introducing some modifications to it in a bid to gain time in implementing urgent reforms amid a deteriorating economic situation.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of protesters gathered in Beirut's Downtown in an attempt to prevent MPs from reaching the Parliament to discuss the 2020 budget, resulting in the injury of 27 people due to heavy clashes between the Lebanese army, security forces and protesters.

Lebanon is in dire need for a budget that would cut deficit by taking serious reforms measures to save the country's economy and public finances.

KEY WORDS:
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011100851387376481