Khazen

BEIRUT, July 19 (Xinhua) — After passing the public sector’s salary scale bill on Tuesday, the Lebanese parliament approved on Wednesday a series of laws that raise taxes to secure revenues for funding the wage scale. The house, in the second legislative session, approved a 7 percent tax rate on bank’s profits, along with an imposed fine on maritime public property. The parliament also approved charging a fee of 5,000 Lebanon Pound (3.3 U.S. dollars) for non-Lebanese citizens upon their entry into the country, cancelled fees on economy travel tickets and kept the current fee at a price of 60,000 Lebanon Pound (40 U.S. dollars). Meanwhile, activists from the civil society, Kataeb party and former members of Armed Forces rallied near the parliament protesting against the tax hike.