Lebanese army veterans blockade Beirut highway
Lebanese army veterans blockade Beirut highway
Hundreds of Lebanese army veterans have blockaded roads in Beirut to protest plans to tax their pensions.
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Beirut has seen a number of anti-austerity measures [Getty]
Hundreds of Lebanese army veterans blocked roads in the capital Beirut on Thursday, over government plans to tax their pensions.
Protesters burned tires and carried pictures of their dead comrades as they sought to end government austerity measures aimed at tackling Lebanon's budget deficit.
Protesters burned tires and carried pictures of their dead comrades as they sought to end government austerity measures aimed at tackling Lebanon's budget deficit.
Among the planned austerity measures is a 3 percent cut in veterans' pensions to fund health care and social services.
Also targeted are a pension tax and a freeze on early retirement for Lebanese military personnel.
Lebanon has seen other protests against austerity plans which aims at cutting the deficit from 7.6 percent of gross domestic product from 11.5 percent.
Beirut has one of the highest public debts in the world, standing at 150 percent of GDP.
Beirut has one of the highest public debts in the world, standing at 150 percent of GDP.
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