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Officially, negotiations began yesterday between the government and the International Monetary Fund. The first negotiation sessions were held to discuss the government’s financial plan through the video service. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, the government and the IMF “completed the first stage of the talks with the aim of reaching an agreement that would put the Lebanese economy on the right track.” Minister Ghazi Wazani was quoted as saying that he is satisfied with the atmosphere of these initial discussions, and we hope that the next discussions will be equally constructive.
According to the information circulated, the adequate and complete information was not leaked on the first day of the start of the negotiations, except for the foregoing, with the preference that the initial conversation did not touch the details, and that it was limited to the introductory generalities and the scheduling of these negotiations according to a calendar whose facts are imposed by the fund regulations, It applies to all aid applicants and, therefore, does not include any exceptions, does not take into account the situation of this or that country, and is the standards unit that guides their work and sets the pace of the negotiations.
In the opinion of some sources familiar with conducting the negotiating work with the IMF, Lebanon, which seeks to persuade its officials to raise the ceiling on aid required to the highest possible percentage, and if expectations are unlikely to be met only half of what Lebanon requires in the government’s plan, has no choice but to meet the conditions imposed by the Fund as an introduction to its approval to accept Lebanon’s request, including conditions that could embarrass the government, that it adheres to a limit whose hybrid composition does not allow it to be crossed, knowing that there are instructions for the negotiating team to be lenient in some terms and strict in others, so that “the wolf does not die or sheep cattle”, or in a clearer sense et The sector policy “blow to the hull and a blow to the screw”.
Among the conditions imposed by the IMF, which do not constitute an obstacle for the government, except for the part related to the work of the resistance, the provision of land borders has the highest priority, and this was discussed at the Supreme Council meeting Defense, which is demanded by the party “Lebanese Forces” in the form of Especially, which considers that controlling the borders would save the treasury a lot, especially after the uproar caused by the smuggling of fuels and flour supported into the Syrian interior, which is of the many examples that negatively affect the Lebanese treasury situation.
As for the elements that constitute an internal shame for the government, they fall within the scope of the prohibitions, but they are inevitable, although unpopular, that Hezbollah rejects in principle as a mass party, among which is the imposition of five thousand pounds as a direct tax on the plate of gasoline and other oil derivatives, regardless of the impact of the local market on world prices, either up or down, this will move the street again, which will reject this increase, whatever the data and the obligations of the same, as well as will impose a high price on the electricity bill, which will be met with a similar rejection, especially If the bill for the motors remains, and is A citizen can not afford.
Among the harsh conditions that the IMF will try to impose is the increase in the rate of value added tax to 15 percent in all articles, which will negatively affect the living conditions of each citizen, especially if these conditions are not accompanied by reforms. Government fundamentals that will compensate A citizen can lose his credit balance, at least in terms of maintaining the purchase value of the Lebanese pound, curbing the chaos of dollar prices and the crazy increase in the daily food basket.
Despite all this, Lebanon hopes that the Fund’s response to Lebanon’s demands will be positive, which will enable it to overcome its accumulated crises with minimal damage today.
