Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, at the end of the table on the right, meeting with a delegation of former military personnel on Sept. 22, 2025, at the Grand Serail. Photo provided by Michel Hallak.
BEIRUT — A delegation of retired military personnel, led by former General Chamel Roukoz, met Monday morning with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Grand Serail, on the sidelines of a protest organized by former soldiers denouncing the deterioration of their living conditions after six years of economic crisis and demanding financial aid from the government.
The delegation secured several concessions from the authorities and a promise to improve their pensions.
Earlier in the day, dozens of retired soldiers had blocked access to the Grand Serail in downtown Beirut before being received by Salam in the presence of Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Defense Minister Michel Menassa, and Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar.
The protest came as the Cabinet continued studying the draft 2026 budget prepared by the finance minister, which makes no provision for overall adjustments to salaries and pensions.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Roukoz announced that “six key points were agreed upon concerning financial matters and pensions” for retired army personnel.
“First, it was agreed to grant two additional bonuses this month, which the finance minister committed to implement. Second, it was decided to align them with those of civilian employees, in accordance with the State Employees’ Cooperative, at a rate of 100 percent,” he said.
Third, “a committee will be formed between the retirees, the Finance Ministry, and the Defense and Interior ministries, tasked with studying salaries and remuneration, in line with the prime minister’s promise. All allowances and subsidies previously granted will be incorporated into the salary and no longer paid separately, particularly for retirees. Family allowances will also be increased,” Roukoz continued.
“Furthermore, it was agreed to add one or two paragraphs in the draft budget regarding the revision of salaries across the entire public sector, including active-duty and retired military personnel. This matter was taken into account by the prime minister and the ministers of finance, defense, and interior, notably through the committee formed to examine salary issues in the coming phase,” he added.
The protest came as Cabinet is set to continue reviewing the draft 2026 budget, prepared by the finance minister, which makes no provision for across-the-board salary or pension adjustments.
“Is it possible for a retired soldier to make it to the end of the month on $250?” one retiree asked during a live broadcast on MTV. He said retired personnel would remain in the street until authorities address their demands.
According to the Traffic Management Center, protesters blocked access from the ESCWA intersection toward Riad al-Solh Square. They also shut down part of the highway linking Tripoli to Beirut, causing traffic jams, local media reported.
Retired military personnel already staged two protests last week in front of the Grand Serail to press for aid. Lebanon is still reeling from the unprecedented 2019 financial crisis, which left citizens with frozen bank deposits and wiped out much of their savings as the Lebanese lira collapsed against the dollar.
While salaries have been partially adjusted and minimal aid granted to military personnel and civil servants, inflation continues to erode purchasing power. The draft budget nonetheless contains no provisions for a general increase in salaries or pensions.
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