Salam discusses salaries and pensions with IMF representative in Lebanon

BEIRUT — Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met Friday at the Grand Serail with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) representative in Lebanon, Frederico Lima, to discuss the issue of public sector salaries and pensions, which have still not been increased to offset the devaluation of the Lebanese pound since the onset of the crisis in 2019.

According to a Grand Serail statement, Salam stressed that "any" adjustment measure "must be based on carefully studied criteria in advance, guaranteeing the rights of employees and retirees while respecting public finances' capacity," highlighting that improving salaries helps stimulate economic activity and strengthen social stability.

The prime minister also said that his government prioritized this approach, which is included in the ministerial statement, which calls for "a study of public sector salaries and fair compensation for workers, as part of a balanced budget reform plan."

Frederico Lima had also discussed public finance and reform issues earlier this week with Finance Minister Yassine Jaber. On Friday, the minister sent the draft 2026 budget to the Cabinet for examination before referring it to Parliament for a vote before the end of the year.

In parallel, Nawaf Salam met with Yassine Jaber, Economy Minister Amer Bsat, and Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) Governor Karim Souhaid to follow up on the progress of the draft law regarding the country's financial losses — a major reform the country has delayed since 2019 — to guarantee protection of depositors' rights and public assets.