NNA - Caretaker Minister of Economy, Amine Salam, on Friday discussed via Free Lebanon radio station the issue of financial advances for the public sector, military personnel, and retirees. 

"We had hoped before the holidays that the matter of improving salaries for public sector employees, military personnel, and retirees would be resolved, and that we would enter the new year with a positive initiative. However, today, the situation has become critical, and in the upcoming government session or the one following it, at the latest, this issue must be fully addressed, especially as the situation is no longer tolerable,” Salam said. 

He indicated that there are two solutions, but he refrained from disclosing their details. 

Regarding the rise in goods prices due to increased shipping costs resulting from incidents in the Red Sea and Gaza, Salam said, "The alarm raised among citizens is not accurate because the percentage of price increase is minimal and does not significantly affect products. The concern is not about the price hike itself, but the fear that traders will exploit all these justifications and events to arbitrarily raise prices. However, we are always vigilant, and there are hundreds of reports issued by the ministry against them weekly. I hope the judiciary imposes the harshest penalties on the violators, as well as urge the parliament to pass the Consumer Protection Law, which has been studied and provides us with significant authority to increase fines and easily curb violators."

Salam expected, in response to a question, that the Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Wassim Mansouri, would clarify the matter related to Circular 151 next week.

==========R.H.