It is a budget that aims to take control of Lebanon once and for all and stifle the Lebanese. The state is bankrupt, rather stolen, and the thieves want to return some money to the public treasury to start stealing again! Thus, the “Together to Rescue” government had no choice but to impose new taxes and fees on citizens. The goal, of course, is not to save Lebanon or save the people, but rather save the government itself and the system that came to power!

Accordingly, the long-awaited budget did not include any investment expenditures or any spending on health and social affairs. It is a matter that the system’s pillars do not care about, but they rather care about protecting their treasury, which can only be achieved by imposing fees and taxes.

Among the government’s “innovations” in this regard is a lump sum fee of 3 percent on all imported goods subject to value-added tax (VAT), which means that it added 3 percent on VAT, without declaring that. What is this deception and smartness on people and their interests? But the danger is not only in the economic aspect, but also in the political aspect.

The Minister of Finance gave himself in the budget exceptional legislative powers for two years, and put the decision to determine the exchange rate of taxes and fees in his own hands, thus canceling the role of the Parliament in legislation! It is a new step taken by the Shiite due Amal and Hezbollah to completely dominate the Lebanese decision-making. The duo currently wants to seize the legislative authority forever, after he laid his hand on the government by setting its agenda in advance, and after turning the President of the Republic into a mere implementer of his orders.

When will the Lebanese wake up to say ‘No’ to the duo, and specifically to Hezbollah? Will the required vigilance be achieved before Lebanon falls completely into the hands of the Iranian Republic, and before all the Lebanese come under the command of the Wali al-Faqih?