Retired Brigadier General Shamel Roukoz highlighted an optimistic meeting with the ministerial committee tasked with addressing the retirees' demands. He noted the acknowledgment of the retirees' rights by various ministers.
Roukoz referred to the situation as “a gain plus more,” indicating ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance to determine costs and figures, which will guide future actions.
He emphasized that the budget won't pass through parliament unless it guarantees their rights, stressing that retirees insist “salaries be restored to their 2019 levels.”
Roukoz added, “Our rights are sacred, and we will remain on the streets until we achieve them. However, we do not wish to cause inconvenience to the public,” assuring that the protestors will stay in the streets “without escalation or tire burning.”
He concluded by affirming that retirees will resort to escalatory measures if their full rights are not met.
(Photography: Abbas Salman)
Retired military personnel met with Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, and the Ministers of Interior, Defense, and Finance, as reported by media sources.
Early in the day, retired soldiers gathered in Riyad al-Solh Square near the Parliament, as well as in other locations, protesting the 2027 budget, which fails to address salary adjustments, criticizing the government for “ignoring their demands” and “disregarding their economic struggles.”
They accused the state of “making empty promises without implementation” and demanded to “raise the minimum wage to USD 1,200 amidst the steep rise in living costs and basic goods prices that do not match their limited income.”
During their demonstration in Riyad al-Solh, the retired military stated that their goal “is not to block roads or burden citizens but to prevent the Cabinet session due to unfulfilled demands and breached government commitments,” expressing distrust in government claims of incapability to adjust ranks and wages.
Additionally, a group of retirees momentarily blocked the road at the Dors Roundabout entrance to Baalbek City, protesting the 2027 budget and demanding salary corrections.
(Photography: Abbas Salman)
Numerous buses have been transporting more retirees from various regions, notably from Tripoli and the north, to Riyad al-Solh Square to join the protest.
Though paths surrounding Riyad al-Solh are open, roads connecting the square to Salim Salam were closed by protestors.
Previously, retirees blocked both directions of the coastal highway between Barbara and Madfoun before reopening it.
Moreover, the traffic authority reported Bank Street in central Beirut being blocked by protestors, and traffic on Lebanon Casino Highway was disrupted by protestors before it was cleared.
Security forces have significantly ramped up their presence around the government complex and bolstered their presence on the roads leading to it throughout Beirut.