At the end of the legislative session held today in the Parliament, Prime Minister Saad Hariri said:
“Parliament met and passed the Tax law, and we in the government were determined to approve the salaries scale and its revenues. But what I do not understand is what I do not want to call a set of lies, but rather false information. We all know that because of the actions taken last year, there are funds earned by the state from the banks, around 800 million dollars. However, the scale is for each year, and each year we have to find 1200 to 1400 billion pounds to finance it, which means finding taxes to cover this scale. The state may make profit at the beginning of each year from the maritime properties, but that does not mean it covers the scale. The taxes focus mainly on companies, banks and on those who can pay. But to have people in Parliament or in the Council of Ministers pretend that they stand with the poor more than other do, this is unacceptable.
We are trying to improve the country's finances so they do not collapse. When we increase the VAT by 1 percent, this means that the person who makes around 25 million Lebanese pounds a year, pays about 3,000 LBP a month. In the past when we approved 10 percent VAT the prices increased by approximately 4.5%. Today, the increase is half percent. Those who agreed on the scale should agree to find revenue to cover it. The one who is irresponsible thinks about the scale without reforms and without taxes. It is true that on popular level, it is better, but after 6 to 8 months, what will happen if the Lebanese pound collapses? The country would have collapsed by then.
I would like to ask the citizens a question: Since when did the scale issue come up? Who discussed it? Not the same blocs sitting in parliament? Who approved these taxes in the committees and in parliament? Not the same blocks that refuse today and change their opinion?
Frankly, I Saad Hariri, Speaker Nabih Berri and the president do not enjoy imposing taxes but we are responsible because we want the scale without hurting the country. Our decisions might not be popular, whether at the level of the Future Movement, the government or the country, and there are those who outbid, whether in the government or in the Future Movement or because I am a Sunni Muslim. There is permanent outbidding on Saad Hariri, but this does not interest me. What I care about is to be honest with the people.
If we present a scale without reforms and revenues there will be a calamity. Yes we want to fight corruption, but all those who demand to fight corruption were in previous governments, what have they done? Have they fought corruption?
We in the government approved in 10 months an electoral law and we will approve the budget in Parliament and the statement of account. And next week, Speaker Berri said that we will approve the budget and we will work on the budget of 2018. We worked and we accomplished ... what did others do? I do not criticize former prime ministers because they tried but there was an internal atmosphere that was killing the country. Today, thanks to the consensus, since the election of  President Michel Aoun, there are achievements. No one wants to increase taxes. But when we make a decision, for example, to send the Lebanese army to the border to fight Daesh, we know in advance that this will lead to the martyrdom of soldiers, and we must be ready. And when we approve the scale, we know that there are revenues that must be increased in order to maintain the economy of the country”.
In response to questions about what MP Sami Gemayel said, Prime Minister Hariri said: “I respect the opinion of my colleague Sami Gemayel, but I am frank. I do not finance elections. This government achieved the scale, and an electoral law that goes against the interest of its political parties participating in it. Even in America and Europe, whoever is in power issues a law in his favor and we did the opposite

Source: NNA