Bou Saab Visits Border Army Site in Show of Support

Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab on Tuesday made an inspection visit to an Army site on the northeastern border between Lebanon and Syria, throwing support behind the retired military’s refusals to cut their pays as part of austerity measures planned by the government.

“The lebanese army has made a lot of sacrifices and vowed to protect Lebanon, they are sacrificing everything even their lives. This visit comes in parallel with a government session (Tuesday) to discuss an austere state budget,” Bou Saab told reporters.

“Some have found it easy to target the army who functions under difficult conditions in Lebanon and on the border. Talks that their end-of service benefits could be cut as part of austere government measures are illogical,” he added.

“Retirement pension is prededucted from their salaries during their years of service,” said Bou Saab “it is unacceptable to take it from them later on. Reform can not be established this way,” he added.

Retired military and security personnel staged sit-ins around different regions in Lebanon protesting government's possible cut to their end-of-service benefits.

The government braces for a meeting on Tuesday to discuss “austere” budget measures to cut the state deficit.