October 4, 2026
Popular and trade union demands have escalated to take decisive and immediate measures to confront the accelerating financial and living deterioration, and to restore respect for the rights of citizens and employees.
In this context, Amira Sukkar, director of public relations for the Beret Association, explained in a statement to Lebanon 24 that the symbolic action scheduled for tomorrow, Monday, under the title “Day of Rage,” reflects a peaceful and responsible cry for justice, stressing that the current stage does not tolerate patchwork solutions or imaginary wage increases granted with the right hand and recovered with the left hand through the tax network and waves of inflation.
Sukkar stressed that the most prominent demands are based on adopting a radical wage correction of $1,500 integrated into the salary and pension, in parallel with developing a clear financing plan to avoid resorting to printing currency. I also requested a political decision obligating the Bank of Lebanon to publish a list of financial transfers that took place between 2016 and 2019, and to take decisive judicial measures to precautionally seize suspected funds.
It called for publishing accurate data and audit reports on the gold reserve, and creating a legislative mechanism that allows the use of its investment returns as a guarantee to protect wages without harming the asset or selling it.
In the same context, Sukkar announced its categorical rejection of linking wages to the conditions of the International Monetary Fund, which imposes additional burdens and heavy taxes on workers and the poor classes, stressing the priority of recovering smuggled funds through the establishment of a unified recovery fund.
It also proposed implementing a voluntary boycott for one day under the slogan “A Day Without Taxes,” limited to refraining from purchasing luxuries as a letter of objection addressed to the authority’s treasury, while being careful not to harm the interests of daily workers. It also called for the acceleration of the formation of a small, independent initiative committee that includes representatives from various sectors to follow up on the demands transparently, with its members committing to declare their financial liabilities.
Sukkar concluded by emphasizing the necessity of achieving broad popular solidarity to exert positive pressure to force the state to adopt standards of transparency and accountability, in preparation for restoring rights and preserving the living dignity of citizens.
