The Association of Lebanese Industrialists issued a press release expressing its concern over certain provisions in the 2025 budget that may negatively impact Lebanese industries. They also urged the government to review these provisions, as they favor foreign products over locally produced goods.

One example is a tax on alcoholic beverages produced exclusively in Lebanon, which was not revoked and will inevitably lead to the cessation of production by local factories, increase costs for Lebanese citizens, and harm the tourism sector, which has yet to fully recover from years of crisis. What’s even more outrageous about this provision is that the consumption tax on imported alcoholic beverages is lower than the tax on beverages produced in Lebanon.

I’m not sure who approved this absurdity, but it needs to be reviewed and abolished as soon as possible.