Parliament approved Wednesday a draft law to grant Civil Defense volunteers full-time employment, as public sector workers across Lebanon went on strike to pressure lawmakers to pass a wage hike proposal in their two-day legislative session. “It is true that endorsing the law will cost a lot of money, but such costs cannot be compared to the blood sacrificed by the Civil Defense,” MP Ali Bazzi of the Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc said after the end of the session, which was adjourned until Thursday morning.

 

The bill would require volunteers to pass a series of tests before becoming full employees. Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk, who also attended the session, opposed the draft law. “There are over 3,200 volunteers. This law stipulates turning the Civil Defense General Directorate into an almost military system, and this will result in high financial costs to the state,” Machnouk said. [Link]