Beirut: In a chaotic session of the Lebanese parliament that saw the deputy speaker, who was in a presiding role, accuse the Phalange Party of sabotage, the House approved three additional taxes on Thursday, on top of the five voted upon a day earlier.
While only 68 lawmakers were present, three more than the required quorum of 65 (out of a total 128 deputies), the latest taxes — a 25 to 35 per cent increase on imported alcoholic beverages, a levy of 250 Lebanese pounds ($16, Dh0.6) on cigarette packs and tobacco along with a 500 Lebanese pound tax on cigars, and various hikes to notary public fees — were approved by a mere 46 votes.
Amal and Hezbollah members (22 deputies) objected to the measures.
The long-drawn debate intensified after lawmakers traded charges linking the new taxes to the wage scale even as the minister of industry, Hussain Haj Hassan [Hezbollah], assured that the measure would be approved in the end.
Deputy speaker Farid Makari, who filled in for the absent speaker Nabih Berri, lost his temper when lawmakers started making their way out of the chamber amid the debate.
Without a quorum to continue, a visibly upset Makari warned lawmakers of his intention to reveal names of deputies he believed had left deliberately in order to stall the approval of the salary scale, and narrowed down on Phalange Party leader Sami Gemayel.
Incidentally, although Gemayel opposed the new taxes, he and other party deputies were physically present, and were in fact the last to leave.
Meanwhile, activists from the Phalange Party, the National Liberal Party, and others from the March 14 coalition, along with civil society groups, gathered at the Riad Al Solh Square to express their disapproval of the new taxes. Protesters in Tripoli took to the streets as well, calling on authorities to secure funds by ending “corruption” and “the squandering of public money” instead of imposing more taxes, topped by a 1 per cent hike in the value-added levy that went from 10 to 11 per cent.
